The Chaos Theory
by Bullwinkle's Lady
Summary: "If you die, I die," he mentioned. "Tell me when you're ready." Time travel story. SasuHina.
1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

This story has humor, romance, action/adventure, and also drama, angst, horror, and mystery.

"Otousan" ('Tousan) means father, "Okaasan" ('Kaasan) means mother. "Teme," means bastard, "Dobe" means something like idiot or blockhead (dobe and teme are like Naruto and Sasuke's nicknames for each other). "Baa-chan," is something like, granny, as well as Naruto's nickname for Tsunade. "**Mirai**" means future, therefore if I write "**Mirai Sasuke**" I mean future Sasuke (it just looks better). If you can't remember all this, I assure you, everything can be grabbed from the context.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 1**

A pale hand twitched against the cool grass. The sun rose upon five unmoving figures. Four of their chakras were dim but constant. The fifth was steadily fading.

Uchiha Sasuke was having trouble opening his eyes. His body would not move, and his lungs refused to expand. His heartbeat dangerously weakening, he tapped into his seal for the first time in ten years.

He had never enjoyed his enslavement to a curse. The ki reserve unlocked, blue energy surging through his body. Sasuke's eyes snapped open as chaotic black markings crawled across his face. He took a few gasps of air until his vision was clear of doubles. His body trembled as it adjusted to the dark chakra within it.

Sasuke activated the sharingan and passed his gaze over the others. They were each alive, which was his immediate priority. He settled his eyes on Hinata, who was closest to him. Held to her chest was a dark-haired child. He reached out to them, their bodies not a yard away. Just as his hand breezed Hinata's shoulder, his pupils rolled upward and the seal retracted. His chakra exhausted, Sasuke's arm dropped and he began to die all over again.

**Fuck.**

He spoke absentmindedly, and without the bother of lip movement. He was suddenly a soul, staring down at his own body. **Am I dead? **Sasuke wondered, as his feet lifted from the ground.

It would have seemed bizarre if he had not felt it a moment before. He didn't want to fathom where Naruto had learned that insane jutsu – the one that had transported them to this new, but familiar, world.

It had been their only option.

Sasuke looked down at Naruto, who was lying on his side, body curled. The blonde was littered with cuts and burns, dark red blood oozing from a gash on his abdomen. His eyes were squeezed shut even in his unconsciousness, and one of his hands had moved down to clutch the wound. A small grunt escaped his throat as Sasuke watched him.

The Uchiha turned his gaze away. Naruto was the least of his concerns. His injuries would be perilous to any other man, but to Kyuubi's vessel, they were but a temporary inconvenience.

A yard away from Naruto was Sakura, her face against the grass, and hair stained with splotches of crimson. She did not move, nor did she make any noises. Both of her arms were broken, knuckles shattered, and Sasuke suspected she had a concussion. Because she had fallen unconscious with the head injury, Sakura would probably need a strong healer to revive her. Sasuke doubted she could be of any assistance to him at that moment.

**Look at us, **he seethed, his eyes returning to his own body. He was lying on his back, face deathly pale. The most dangerous of his injuries were the two clean slits across each of his wrists. Twin streams of blood crawled down his hands and onto the grass, creating small puddles around his body.

He was not afraid of death, just keen to avoid it while he still had a few nice things to live for. **Hinata...** Sasuke said, seeking out her soul. The Hyuuga was not badly injured. She would be able to hear him – he hoped.

Naruto's jutsu had transported their bodies, and _then _their souls, making all of them, for a moment, ten independent beings. For a while, he had heard Hinata's thoughts – Naruto's and Sakura's as well. And they had heard his. **Hinata!** he repeated. The Uchiha began to grow desperate as he felt himself rise yet higher. **GET UP!**

Naruto winced, Sakura gasped, but only Hinata managed to open her eyes. "...What?" she said, covering her eyes with her arm. She coughed a few times, her throat raw, and skull throbbing. Hinata climbed to a sitting position, the small child against her rolling onto the grass. Eyes narrowed against the sunlight, she passed them over the clearing. "No..."

Her arms beginning to tremble, Hinata crawled toward Sasuke. Her muscles ached with each movement, and the stench of blood made her nauseous. She leaned down over his face and pressed her lips to his.

Sasuke's face was frightfully cool. She breathed some air into his lungs, took a deep breath, and again offered it to him. When Sasuke finally inhaled, she pulled away and wiped her eyes. Sasuke was not moving, but he was alive.

Hinata slipped her hand into her weapons holster and withdrew a kunai. Pulling off her jacket, she tore the material into makeshift bandages. She lifted one of Sasuke's limp hands and began to bandage the wrist wound. His arteries were sliced and a rag of cloth would not be sufficient for long.

When she had finished dressing both of Sasuke's cuts, Hinata climbed to her feet and surveyed the others with the byakugan. She walked passed Kasai. The child had merely fainted. Hinata then moved passed Sakura. The woman was in a coma. Stopping beside Naruto, Hinata dropped to her knees and began to shake him. "Wake up!" she cried. "I need your help!"

* * *

Tsunade stared at the strangers standing across from her in the small office.

Her mind screamed two names, names of _youths _of her village – but it made no sense at all.

Armed ANBU guards surrounded the strangers, both who barely acknowledged them. One was preoccupied with the unconscious child in her arms, while the other busied himself with clutching his stomach. Both of them were covered in cuts and bruises.

"Our friends," said the woman, her voice hoarse. The child in her arms was unconscious, but uninjured. She had long dark hair and looked to be about five. In her sleep, she unconsciously wrapped her legs around the woman's waist and her arms about her neck.

The woman holding her did so protectively. She could not have been anything over twenty-five. She wore an oversized orange jacket that had been given to her by her companion and loose black pants that went to her ankles. She looked exhausted. "Hokage-sama, you have to heal – you...you have too..." she trailed off, and Tsunade tensed, fearing she would faint. She, however, did not, but lightly shook herself, eyes refocusing as the man beside her cast a worried gaze. The sleeping child in her arms murmured something against her shoulder.

Despite the disheveled mess of her hair and clothes, the woman was beautiful. Long black hair spilled over her shoulders, and most significantly, her eyes-

...they were white.

_A missing nin, _Tsunade felt a shiver run down her spine._ And a Hyuuga. Hiashi is going to kill someone..._

"Your_ friends _will not be treated until you identify yourselves," said Tsunade. "And then the four of you will be _handled _in the manner I see most appropriate."

The dark-haired woman opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the man standing beside her. "Calm down, Hinata." His voice croaked as he spoke. The blonde continued to hold his stomach, blood trickling down his arm and dripping from his elbow. It hit the tiled floor with soft, even, taps. He suppressed a whimper of pain.

_He's like...an animal. _Tsunade watched him curiously.

He wore orange pants and a mesh shirt, prominent abs and pecs visible beneath it. An uncomfortably familiar crystal hung from his neck, and as if that wasn't enough, tan cheeks were lined with whiskers. The man grunted as he continued to hold his wound, blue eyes squeezed shut in pain.

With a final groan, he released his stomach.

The guards gasped. One stepped back.

The wound was gone.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto."

That confirmed it.

"Hyuuga Hinata," the woman said. She stared at Tsunade, unnerving the woman.

The Hokage's mind spun. "And the others..." she trailed off.

"Sasuke and Sakura," said the blonde. "Now bring us to them, you damn crone."

* * *

Tsunade's hands hovered over hers. It was always an odd feeling – bones gently aligning themselves and wounds stitching themselves together. When Tsunade had dealt with the worse of her injuries, she stood and move on to Sasuke. Sakura opened and closed her fist until the numbness went away. She was still very weak, but wasn't about to complain. Being alive suited her fine.

She gasped when the person seated beside her grabbed her arm. She was pulled against a very nice chest.

"Better?" Naruto said.

Sakura closed her eyes. "Yes."

By the other bed, Tsunade was healing Sasuke's wrists. Beside them stood Hinata, murmuring to the child in her arms, gently urging her to wake up.

Kasai's eyes fluttered opened.

They were black.

Hinata lowered the girl to her feet, where she drowsily clung to her leg. Hinata looked down at Sasuke, who Tsunade had finished healing. She patiently waited for his eyes to open as well.

They did not.

She reached down to take one of his hands, entwining Sasuke's stiff fingers with hers. _He's freezing cold_.

"He lost a lot of blood," Tsunade mentioned behind her. "He may be unconscious for a while."

Tsunade curiously watched as Hinata lowered the Uchiha's hand to gather up the small girl again. The child seemed prepared to fall back to sleep. "Is that your daughter?"

Not looking up from Sasuke, Hinata nodded. "Yes."

Tsunade continued to watch the child. She did not have white eyes. "I see." It looked as though the girl would hold the sharingan, which was a grand feat, as well as a...perplexity. She glanced at Sasuke, her puzzle pieces slowly uniting. She turned back to Naruto and Sakura who were tightly wrapped in each other's arms. _Interesting._

Naruto glanced up and caught her eyes. Sakura pulled away from him and looked at Tsunade as well.

"You will explain," said the Hokage.

**Can we tell her? **Sakura asked. It did not even strike her as unusual to communicate with Naruto without physically speaking.

**It doesn't matter,** Naruto responded. He tried to sound annoyed as he said aloud, "We're all exhausted."

Tsunade clearly had not gotten over the "damn crone" remark. "I don't ca-"

She was cut off when Uchiha Sasuke sat up, gasping for breath. For a full ten seconds he stared at the white wall across from him, before his eyes squeezed shut as if recalling a headache. He held his skull and grunted a few vulgarities. The Hokage stared.

"'Tousan!"

_Bingo._

The small girl, suddenly wakeful, scrambled out of her mother's arms and leapt onto Sasuke, deriving another crude word from his lips. The Uchiha seemed to deem it best to play dead, as he lay unmoving beneath the child.

Kasai kissed his forehead. "Do you feel better now?"

"Aa," Sasuke said.

He opened one eye and glanced at Hinata. She quickly covered her mouth and turned away. It looked as though she was crying. He looked passed her, and at Naruto and Sakura, both who wore weary smiles. They had already been healed. He was grateful.

He glanced again at Kasai as she took a seat on his chest, and then at Hinata, who was shaking. His eyelids lowered. Just before he could lose his battle with consciousness, he heard the giggles.

Hinata was laughing.

**Baa-chan looks dizzy, **Naruto mentioned.

**I don't blame her. How old are we in this time? **Sakura asked.

**About fifteen. Would that be right, teme?**

"...Hn." He turned to his pillow.

_**...Teme?**_

**It's not nice to call names Naruto-kun. And I think Kasai can hear us.**

**Don't bother.** Sasuke said. "She already knows that word."

Hinata pulled Kasai off Sasuke. He didn't seem to mind.

Tsunade was looking from one person to the next, still trying to figure out just what was going on. They were exchanging looks and remarks as though something had transpired in the room without her notice. "What-?" she managed, still confused.

The four young adults looked at each other. "We came from the future," Naruto said.

"I know _that_," snapped Tsunade. "But why are you here? Why are you injured? What happened in _your_ world?"

It wasn't surprising that Tsunade already knew. She'd painted the picture. Something had happened. They had managed to survive, and had run away to change things. As for the rest of Konoha-

"Everyone's dead," Sakura said, when the others had become silent for a while. She bit her mouth and looked up at the Hokage. "Isn't it obvious? Konoha was attacked. Konoha – is _dead_."

It was all Tsunade would get out of them for a while.

"How did you get here?" she asked. The woman lowered herself to a chair between the two beds. As Naruto and Sakura kept their heads down, Hinata held Kasai, and Sasuke exercised his stiff hands.

"I was forced to use a jutsu," Naruto said. "An...original one of mine." His weary smile became a guilty one.

Tsunade was perceptive enough to notice when Sakura frowned, and Hinata looked away.

"I'm surprised it actually worked," Naruto lied as he continued. He stretched his arms over his head, wincing as tired muscles strained and stiff joints cracked. "It had a few conditions though."

Tsunade drew her arms to her lap. _With such a powerful jutsu, of __**course**__ there were "ingredients." _She some how knew where the conversation was headed.

"We needed human blood," said Naruto. "A lot of it." His eyes had flickered from Tsunade's to the ground. Her stony gaze always managed to unnerve him.

_The Uchiha... _Tsunade thought.

"And, a dream," Naruto went on.

He continued to look down. _As well as a few other things, _he thought.

"A dream? What does that mean?" Tsunade snapped, her patience running thin.

Naruto sighed. "It means that when we return to our time, I will no longer be Hokage."

The brown-eyed woman stared at him in surprise. _So I chose you... _she mused.

Tsunade rose to her feet, turning toward the door. Naruto would no longer meet her gaze. "We can probably squeeze another bed in here," she said. "One of you may have to sleep in the chair. I'll be back in the morning to see about getting you better situated. Don't go _anywhere._" She reached down to wrap her fingers around the doorknob. "And I feel that Konoha deserves some sort of explanation. I'll see about arranging one." Without a backwards glance, she opened the door.

Kasai waved. "Bye baa-chan!"

_The girl is awfully cute, _thought Tsunade, slamming the door shut behind her.


	2. Offerings

"Kami," is a reference to God in Japanese.

**Author's Note**: I do not believe in religion, and do not favor any particular deity. Anything my characters (Kishimoto's, adjusted to my liking) say/believe on the matter is meaningless to me.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 2**

Hinata sat up, white eyes wide and flanked with veins. She panted as she registered her surroundings and allowed the veins to recede. The Hyuuga bowed her head, still trying to catch her breath.

"Hinata."

She glanced at Sasuke, who lay beside her. He had turned to face her, onyx eyes half-lidded. He spoke into his pillow, his long bangs hiding one of his eyes.

Hinata lowered herself and faced Sasuke as well. She always felt comfortable beneath his impassive stare.

"Bad dream?"

She looked down. "Bad...memory."

"Aa."

Kasai slept between the two. The child had a firm hold on Sasuke's right wrist, and her left. They were accustomed to her possessiveness.

"How do you feel?" Hinata asked, stroking Kasai's hair with her free hand.

"Weak," said Sasuke. "Like...water?"

**Disordered? Discomposed? Like you have no authority over your muscles, sweetheart?**

**Are you mocking me?**

Hinata smiled. She couldn't help it. Not when he was half-asleep, heavy-lidded, with every bit of composure tossed aside. She loved him like that.

On the bed across the room, Naruto and Sakura stirred, hearing the comments in their sleep. Sasuke and Hinata broke the telepathic connection.

"I'll take care of you," Hinata whispered.

Their bed was furthest from the door and closest to the window. Though the hospital room was pitch-black, Hinata could make out Sasuke's face in the moonlight.

"Un..." he said, in indifference or amusement. The quirk of his lips told her it was the latter. "I'd like that."

She blushed, though she did not know why. As she matured, her personality divided in two opposite directions. There was "mother" who was confident, and in charge of the family, but then there was "wife" who always seemed to melt to goo whenever alone with her husband.

Sasuke was indifferent, as well as compliant. If Hinata gave Kasai an order, he supported her, and if Hinata asked _him _to do something, it was usually rational, so he submitted without much complaint. Beyond that was his nature to fight, which she had known well since they were children. Furthermore, was a _third _side of Sasuke, which only peeked out on the odd times he noticed her shrinking confidence.

And then he'd smirk, and worsen the matter.

Luckily, Sasuke seemed too tired to approach it. "How are you?"

She was caught off guard by the question, but knew what Sasuke meant. _What state are you in? _He wanted confirmation that she was all right. She bit the inside of her cheek. "I'm-" she paused, but forced herself to continue. "Afraid."

Sasuke opened eyes that had been drifting closed. "Oh?" he said. "What are you thinking?"

Her eyes watered unbidden by her, but Sasuke surely wouldn't be able to tell. "The – offerings," she said. "We didn't use chakra to come to the past. We're negotiating with, who – Kami?" She stared down at Kasai, if only as a means of diverting her eyes.

Sasuke was silent for a moment. "I don't think it was Kami." He had not believed in such things until he saw it for himself. "Just some spirit or another. A jutsu alone cannot give us the power to come to the past. The purpose of the technique was to reach him...her – whatever the hell it was."

_A person in white, _was all Hinata could recall. After Naruto had executed the final seal, she had been thrown into a world of darkness, suddenly alone save for a person dressed in white robes. The phantom then _requested_ something of hers.

_We each had to sacrifice something to get here._

"I think...it might have been a man?" Hinata could not remember exactly to whom she had spoken. Everything had been vague. She recalled no feeling of happiness...nor fear or sadness. Just...apathy. _That wasn't Kami? _she wondered, her eyes returning to Sasuke's.

"Our sacrifices were to get us to this time and make our changes irreversible," her husband continued. "Each of us was asked for something. The spirit demanded – my blood." He glanced down at his daughter. "The request was vague. I slit my wrists and gave it to him. It was...sufficient." Hinata stared.

"Did you intend to kill yourself?" she asked, continuing to run her hands through Kasai's hair. _They wanted his blood. Our daughter?_

"If it was a choice between me and Kasai, then yes. That was my intention."

Hinata continued to look away from him and said no more on the subject, not wanting to think about either one of the concepts. "The – spirit was going to take something from each of us, whether or not we consented." She turned to the ceiling. "But...he was willing to negotiate." Hinata raised one of her hands and absently stared at it. _I feel no different, _she mused. Sasuke reached over to take it. She allowed her fingers to be entangled with his. "Naruto's dream...your blood...what did he take from Sakura-san?" she asked.

Sasuke closed his eyes. "I don't know," he lied.

Hinata's hand slid down from his. She absently traced the thin scar on his wrist. The two remained silent for a while, listening to the sound of Kasai's even breathing.

"What did he want from you?" Sasuke finally said.

She answered without hesitance. "My sight."

Sasuke's eyes snapped up. "Did he blind you?"

Sasuke could not tell the difference, which was understandable. Her pupils were very pale. Hinata had advanced use of all her senses, thus even if she had gone blind, most people simply would not have been able to notice. Her husband would have been an exception if he hadn't been ill for the past day.

"No," Hinata said. _I offered something else._

"What did you give him Hinata?" Sasuke demanded.

The Hyuuga closed her eyes, a weary smile crossing her lips. _Something far more valuable than these white eyes._

* * *

It was minutes to twelve.

Many associated midnight with chaos and death. Some said it was a time that demons were summoned. Others claimed it was the singular moment that spirits and humans could communicate.

Magic became actual during the span of a midnight. Devils did their bidding and horrors came into existence.

The clock struck midnight, and Naruto dreamt of the future.

Nothing had changed.

* * *

**Hinata.**

She blinked, glancing at Naruto and Sakura. They hadn't heard Sasuke's voice. The Uchiha had already learned to regulate the mental bonds between the four of them. He'd managed to shut Naruto and Sakura out of the telepathic connection. The man was truly a genius.

And a recluse.

**Yes? **It was meekly said.

**What you did was selfish.**

Hinata frowned. Sasuke was wrong. **Would you prefer if I became blind?**

**No... **Sasuke trailed off. **Perhaps?**

She turned away from him. She knew he was being sarcastic but was frustrated nonetheless.

She and Sasuke sat on his bed beside each other, her eyes focused on her lap as Sasuke unconsciously glared into air, or rather, at a nervous-looking Naruto. Standing before the two was their fire-year-old daughter, blinking in confusion.

**What I did – was right, **Hinata said through the bond. Sasuke threw her a grimace.

Naruto and Sakura were seated on the second bed, both seeming uneasy. Though they could not hear the silent conversation, the tension between Sasuke and Hinata was almost palpable.

**You're a coward, **said Sasuke.

Hinata's eyes widened. The final word had struck – hard. "You don't understand!" she protested aloud.

Naruto and Sakura seemed startled by her outburst. Sasuke responded simply by standing to his feet and grabbing her arm, urging her to follow. Hinata allowed herself to be dragged out of the room. From the corner of her eye, she watched Sakura grab Kasai's shoulder before the child could follow them.

When they had exited the hospital room, with the door closed behind them, they fell into silence for a moment. Hinata noticed that Sasuke had not released her forearm.

"You're terrified," he accused.

"I'm not," she said, her voice unconvincingly weak.

Sasuke's hand slipped down to hers, quickly lessening her trembles. "I'm taking control of this mission," he said, remaining indifferent as he watched her eyes widen. "I will save Konoha by myself."

Hinata felt her blood run cold. _But..._

"And you will stay out of it."

Hinata stared at her husband, unconsciously squeezing his hand. "I-" Sasuke's few words had managed to steal her composure away. "I-"

He kissed her, finalizing the request.

Hinata remained frozen as Sasuke's arms took her waist, tightening the connection. Her mind and body went numb, and for a while she didn't know how to feel. Slowly, her body responded on its own as Sasuke impatiently entered her mouth. He was manipulative, she realized, as she finally kissed him back.

They hadn't been together in a while, as there had been things in their world keen to keep them apart. Though they were married, their titles seemed to clash, and politics had even prevented Hinata from changing her family name to Uchiha.

Thus she was Hyuuga Hinata, the head of her clan. He was Uchiha Sasuke, captain in the ANBU Interrogation Force.

He was always buried in missions and assignments. It was odd, but becoming Sasuke's sole victim for just that moment, was somehow...a relief. Her fingers roamed through messy black hair. She knew he could tell how vulnerable she was simply by the way she melted in his arms. _That's not fair, _Hinata thought dispassionately, through the bliss. _I'm the one who's responsible for this mess. I'm the one who must fix everything. It is why I gave my sacrifice to the man. It's why I gave him my love for...my love for my-_

"Ahem."

Two pairs of bland eyes snapped open. Sasuke and Hinata turned to an arm-crossed Tsunade. "I want to introduce you to a few people. Are we ready?" the Hokage said, seeming all but interested in their intramarital affairs.

**Not quite.**

Hinata pulled away from Sasuke before he could reclaim her attention. "Sorry," she said, looking up as Naruto and Sakura entered the corridor with Kasai in tow. _I'm ready._

* * *

Kakashi stood discretely in the quietest corner of the room. It was the first meeting he'd ever been on time to, but his curiosity had gotten the better of him. Never had Tsunade summoned _anyone _before noon...she was usually suffering a hangover in the morning.

Which explained why the curtains were drawn. White lamp light passed on and off everyone's faces.

Cluttered inside of one of the tower's large meeting rooms stood Kiba, Shino, and Hinata, tucked within their small private circle. Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru took their usual stance, Ino front center, Shikamaru slouched to the left, and Choji munching to the right. Toward the front of the room, Tenten and Lee flanked Neji like an entourage. Alas, in the back, stood Naruto and Sakura looking rather...incomplete. In his boredom, Naruto had folded his arms behind his head, squinting around quite oddly. Sakura peered at him from the corner of her eye as she adjusted one of her gloves.

Among the curious chuunin were their families, their teachers, and other residents of Konoha. Kurenai stood nearby her students, and Kakashi was situated not far from her. Gai stood toward the back, his eyes wary like his rival's, and even Hyuuga Hiashi had made a turnout, where he was perched on the roof just outside the open window.

Kneeling in the shadows away from his teammates, a fifteen-year-old Sasuke had bowed his head, satisfying his curiosity with a hand seal and a soft utter of, "Dispel."

Nothing happened, meaning no person in the room was using genjutsu. What he was seeing was authentic...yet it made no sense at all.

Kakashi turned back to the front. He had to agree with the boy's confusion. The room was silent, for everyone was staring upon five strangers. There was an unidentified Hyuuga, with a strong likeness to a certain heiress. Beside her was a man with coal eyes and long bangs. He looked even more like Uchiha Sasuke than she looked like Hyuuga Hinata. Clutching one of his hands was a child with dark hair and eyes. She resembled him, though her face was soft, and her eyes, much larger. The girl took to hiding behind the man, peeking out from the back of one of his legs. On his other side was a pink-haired woman, who Sakura gaped at while fingering her own rare locks. At the end of the line was a blonde man. Blue eyes caught Kakashi's for a second, but darted away again just as quickly. The man adorned _whiskers_, which seemed to confirm things...things that Kakashi could not make any sense of.

"Uzumaki Naruto," he said, causing the blonde man to blink, and many eyes to dart his way. "Sasuke, Sakura, and...Hyuuga Hinata."

In the back, the young Sasuke's eyes widened as he listened to his sensei's words. The dark man seemed like...an older version of him. Was that even possible? His teammates had also taken to scrutinizing, while the young Hyuuga Hinata simply fidgeted. As Sasuke peered upon his supposed counterpart, he noticed that the child had disappeared. Distrust consuming him, his onyx eyes darted around the room as he attempted to locate her. He felt a tug on one of his sleeves, and glanced down.

It was her.

The girl's eyes truly were huge, and purely onyx. Her hold on his sleeve had grown quite tight, and she had somehow weaved her way beneath his arm. _Gum, _Sasuke thought. The child somehow reminded him of _gum_. Slowly she smiled, an _intense _smile, one that seemed suspiciously cheerful.

He shook his arm.

She _did not _release him.

"Otousan?" Kasai said, her head tilted to the side. "It's me." She hugged his legs, causing Sasuke's heart rate to quadruple in his panic. "Your Kasai."


	3. Agenda

This fic is for a mature audience, and I wouldn't recommend anyone under fifteen reading it.

Again, **mirai** means **future**. I will use a capitalized **Mirai** in front of character names to differentiate them from their counterparts.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 3**

Sasuke appreciated isolation. He very much enjoyed it, in fact. The child, however, was _stuck _to him, like some sort of affectionate leech. He furiously tried to detach the invasive creature, but it would not budge. "Let go of me," he hissed.

"'Tousan?" said the child, seeming confused. She had somehow climbed up to his waist.

Otousan. ...Why did she keep calling him "father?"

He did not like children. He didn't know how to deal with them short of ignoring them. He generally managed to frighten them with his repulsive personality, but Kasai was somehow immune.

Kasai...

_How was he so familiar with her? _It was Sasuke's turn to be confused.

"Aw, what a cute little girl!"

For once in his life, he was grateful for Ino and Sakura.

"That isn't your father," Ino offered, as Sakura grabbed the little girl and attempted to detach her from his midsection. The kunoichi's efforts were proven futile.

Kasai's hold tightened. "He's mine!" she cried, squeezing him possessively.

Wincing, he considered forcing the child off him. Sasuke's eyes lifted to the strangers across the room. The dark-haired man was watching him, while the others just seemed amused with Kasai. Sasuke kept his eyes on the man. _If I harm her he will attack._

Sakura and Ino had given up, both frowning and placing their fists upon their hips. Sasuke looked back at Kasai. Despite the fact that they had just met, he felt that he somehow..._knew_ her already. As though they were close...from a time he couldn't recall. The Uchiha shook his head. "Ok," he said. "I'm yours."

"Yatta!" she climbed off his waist, but clutched his hand.

_Was that all she wanted? _Sasuke wondered. _What does this mean?_ He felt that he'd succumbed to some sort of contract.

All around the room, people had taken to staring. While some, like Naruto, appeared to be shocked that such a child would take a liking of Sasuke, others, like the Hyuuga heiress, watched the scene with smiles on their faces. Was he the only one who disliked the insane child?

Tsunade decided to ignore the spectacle. "Good observation Kakashi. These four indeed _are_ Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata."

The four strangers were each dressed in the gray shirts and slacks of Konoha's hospital. The women were very beautiful, both with long hair. One's expression was solemn as she adjusted the braces on her wrists. The other offered a weary smile; it was one that had been practiced and perfected – motherly.

The men were attractive, and had sharp eyes. One was ruggedly handsome, and the other, elegantly so. The blonde had a face that was pleasant; cheerful, yet tired. _All of them _seemed tired. As he scratched his whiskered cheek, Kakashi's visible eye narrowed.

So it was true.

"Just different versions of them," Tsunade continued. "They are from ten years in the future."

The Hokage took a moment to allow her guests to absorb this bit of information. The young Sasuke grimaced, Naruto blinked, and Hinata's eyes became huge. Their pink-haired comrade was in a mixture of shock and uncertainty as she glanced at the child clinging to Sasuke.

The rest of the room was engulfed in murmurs.

Among the future counterparts, Mirai Sasuke continued to watch his daughter. She was playing games, and he was not amused. The man turned his attention away from Kasai and spoke silently to his companions. **Our future needs to be kept secret, **he said. **Our enemies, our relationships – anything they do not already know.**

**Agreed, **said Mirai Naruto.

Mirai Hinata nodded. She didn't want to endanger her future, let alone Kasai's conception.

She watched the young Shikamaru raise his arm. "How did they get here?" he said, peering at the time travelers. "And _why?_"

Mirai Sakura began to respond, but Tsunade cut her off. "Their Hokage created a jutsu that enabled them to time travel." She decided to bypass the fact that _their_ Hokage was among them. "They fled from a strong enemy in their time." She couldn't offer any further details, for her guests had failed to provide any. She supposed it was for the best. "They came to the past to save Konoha, and require only our cooperation."

"How do we know they're not lying?" asked Neji. It was a valid point. The guests could have easily been enemies infiltrating the village.

Tsunade had expected there would be doubts. "Activate your byakugan."

Neji complied.

"What do you see?"

Neji glanced each of the strangers over. He then turned around to look over the younger versions of Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Hinata. "Their chakras...are identical," he said.

"Yes, they are," Tsunade said. "Any more questions?"

The fifteen-year-old Uchiha wanted to make certain. He wanted to be beyond any shadow of a doubt that he was staring at himself. That he was alive in the future, and he seemed to have... He glanced uneasily at the girl clutching his hand.

...a daughter.

He turned to the man claiming to be his counterpart. "Activate your sharingan."

His words were hissed, but everyone heard.

Mirai Sasuke smirked, and obliged.

Kasai did as well.

Sasuke's heart stopped for a moment as he stared in shock at the girl beside him. A few gasps about the crowd told him the others were equally astonished. His clan had been revived. The girl couldn't have been anything over five, and yet she already had the sharingan. It was unheard of. _She must be strong,_ Sasuke thought. "Who is your mother?" he wanted to know.

Her sharingan fading, she parted her lips to respond, but was interrupted.

"Enough, Kasai," Mirai Sasuke said.

At his sides, Mirai Sasuke's companions had become stern, except for Mirai Naruto, who was trying to suppress a snicker. The young Sasuke watched Kasai glance up at her true father.

She hugged the teenager's arm, glancing between the two Sasukes. "O-otousan?" she asked, seeming distressed. The young Sasuke stiffened as her hold on him tightened.

But Kasai wasn't confused. She knew very well who her father was. He was taller and stronger, carrying a few additional scars and faint lines beneath his eyes. Her true father didn't have those odd seals on his arms and legs like this one did – the teenager was ridden with containment spells. For a fleeting moment, Kasai wondered why.

She glanced back at her real father, who seemed irritated. Her hold on the teenager loosened, and she dropped her arms to her sides. **I'm sorry.**

**Aa, **Mirai Sasuke responded.

Kasai trailed toward him, leaving a curious boy in her wake. **Are you sad, Otousan?**

**Very, **he said dryly.

He offered her his hand, which Kasai took. She wrapped it around her shoulders. **I like him.**

**Stay away from him.**

Tsunade began to speak again. She had taken to ignoring all Kasai-induced spectacles. "I ask you to treat these four with respect," she motioned toward the future guests. "And cooperate with anything they ask of you during their mission. They do not require any other ninja, so don't bother volunteering. And please do not question them, or prod to know your futures. You have no idea how sensitive this matter is – how dangerous the effects could be."

The young Sasuke scowled. What could be the harm in knowing who Kasai's mother was? The woman had to be strong, and the child's enthusiasm wasn't something she hadn't inherited from him. His eyes traveled over the pink-haired woman across the room, and he involuntarily winced. _Sakura?_

"I also ask that some of you might provide them...with a place to stay," Tsunade said.

There was a brief pause in which Sakura's eyes widened, and Ino waved her arm in the air. Neji beat them to it. "There is plenty of room on the Hyuuga compound."

Mirai Hinata watched him. Her cousin was inquisitive, and probably just wanted to spy on them. She didn't mind. Neji was just curious like everyone else. "Yes. I'd like that."

Sasuke glanced at her.

Moments later, the five followed the young Neji and Hinata out of the room, leaving a stunned crowd in their wake still trying to comprehend the afternoon's events. Mirai Hinata watched her young counterpart blush and bite her bottom lip, as if wanting to say something but not having the courage to.

She sighed as she glanced at her friends. They were all tired, if not physically, each was thoroughly mentally drained. Sasuke was carrying their sleeping daughter. Kasai had the tendency to faint after using strong techniques. Hinata wanted to take her from him, but that would be too suspicious. She watched Sasuke reach up with his free hand to rub the side of his neck.

**The seal is bothering you?** Hinata asked.

The corner of his lips twitched. His wife was too perceptive for her own good. **It's fine, **he said. **I'm weak right now, so it's **_**itching.**_

Hinata's eyes narrowed. Sasuke's definition of an "itch" sometimes equated to excruciating pain.

Her gaze drifted to Sakura, who was massaging her knuckles, and to Naruto, as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

By the time they reached the Hyuuga house, evening had fallen. Neji and Hinata led the group not to separate bedrooms, but to the guest wing. They knew not whether everyone would favor separate rooms, or if anyone would pair off, such as Naruto and Hinata (the young Hinata hoped!), or Sasuke and Sakura (Neji simply presumed). Bidding their guests goodnight, the two went off to bed, and the five future visitors assembled in a single bedroom.

Sasuke gently lowered his daughter to the bed in the center of the room. It took him another moment to unclamp her fingers from his sleeve.

"This is going to be difficult," Naruto said as he climbed onto the bureau and took a seat.

Sasuke silently agreed.

"With the Hyuuga house breathing down our necks, we'll have to hold our silence every second of every day," Sakura said. "We'll have to keep our marriages secret, and keep ourselves from leaking even a drop of information about the future." She gazed out the window.

Hinata sighed. "It is disrespectful to use the byakugan in the house," she said. "We should manage."

The bedroom was plain, as were most rooms in the Hyuuga house. The carpet was white, as were the curtains and the linen. The room was furnished with a large bed, a bureau, and a wardrobe. There were also two large windows, both of which gazed down on the front gates of the house.

Hinata sat down on the bed beside Kasai. She methodically stroked her daughter's hair, a small smile gracing her lips. "I think our presence here may simplify the mission," she said.

No one had dared to suggest what the mission was or what it would entail, however, each of them was devising their own plans – schemes they knew would clash.

Each had their own agenda.

"It isn't your concern," Sasuke challenged. His eyes locked on his wife's.

"It isn't yours, Sasuke," Hinata countered.

Naruto and Sakura watched. Ah, the beauty of an ongoing quarrel.

The blonde yawned. "I'm off to bed," he chirped, hopping down from the dresser.

"Me too," said Sakura, following her husband to the door. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Sasuke and Hinata said in unison. They continued to watch each other.

The door swung closed and Hinata stood. She walked around the bed to peer up at Sasuke. It was at such a proximity that she noticed he was shaking. There were dark dashes beneath his eyes. Sasuke looked as though he was going to pass out.

"You're sick?" Hinata said. She reached into his collar to rub the spot where she knew the cursed seal was.

"No," Sasuke said. "It's just a little anemia."

She wrapped her arms around his chest, catching him off guard. "Are you sure?"

He lowered his face to her hair. "Hinata..."

They remained in that position for longer than they should have. It was getting late, and they shouldn't have been alone together when there were so many things they couldn't afford to reveal.

Hinata pulled away, staring at his chest and holding onto his clothes. She then stood on her toes to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Hinata left the room knowing if she spent her evenings with Sasuke, everyone in Konoha would know full well who Kasai's mother was. It was a sensitive time for their counterparts, and the young Sasuke and Hinata should not have to worry about what they were and weren't supposed to feel for each other. Things would occur naturally, and if anything went wrong, irreparable damage would be dealt on the future. Their marriage and Kasai's existence would be at stake.

Hinata entered the guest room that stood beside Naruto's and across from Sasuke's. She dropped herself onto the bed. _Naruto's right_. _This is going to be difficult._

It was at midnight, that Naruto dreamt of what _could have been, _had Sakura known what her sacrifice would entail.

Hinata dreamt of a cruel stranger upon her, and his hands around her throat.

Sasuke dreamt of the future.

Still, nothing had changed.


	4. Power Thief

"Talking."

_Thinking._

**Telepathy.**

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 4**

Sakura had fought with her life to keep that _monster _away from the Hokage. She had fought until her knuckles were blackened, and face, blood-streaked.

A sharp blow to her skull successfully decided the battle. The world grew dim and her body stopped moving. Just before she could touch the earth, someone caught her and pulled her close.

_Late, _Sakura mused.

Their enemy was suddenly engulfed in fire. The flames devoured long hair and licked pale, melted skin. A shrill scream pierced through the black smoke, sending goose bumps across her gritty arms. Through glazed green eyes, Sakura stared up at her brother, and offered her gratitude to crimson orbs.

Sasuke responded gruffly, though she couldn't understand him. Through her semi-conscious stupor, it seemed he was speaking another language. He looked not into her face, but over her body, examining her chakra with the sharingan. He glanced over his shoulder, and mentioned something to her husband.

Brows furrowed in concentration, the Hokage stood yards away, tan hands moving faster than eyes could comprehend. Naruto formed hundreds of seals in the matter of moments, but faltered upon hearing Sasuke's brief remark. Blue eyes widened, and the technique was altered. His hands quivering, Naruto quickly resumed, but it was too late.

Sakura fell unconscious.

In her dreams, she encountered a man dressed all in white. The chaste pallor encompassed his clothes and body, bleeding into hers until everything was numb. He wore a kind smile and gently requested her love for Naruto.

**My love...for Naruto?**

For the first time, the spell was broken, and her surroundings became dark. Her split personality assumed control and glared around at the offerings: Smoky wisps of love and blood floating around, awaiting a purpose. She looked back at the man, who still wore white, but was tainted with red and black shadows. **...I can't. **The thoughts were private, but echoed all around her. Sakura clenched her fists. **I won't! **she snapped, this time with malice.

Her love for Naruto? The prospect made her sick to the stomach!

The man remained calm, a decayed smile crossing his lips. "What then, will you give me?"

Her strength? Her mind? Her life? **Nothing! **she said. **It's all too valuable.**

"I see."

She had offered the spirit nothing, and thought she was granted free passage.

But Sakura was wrong. He'd taken a significant piece of her.

Those who encountered the man sacrificed something; each and every one of them.

* * *

Warm tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped from her chin. She trembled as she placed her face in her hands, heaving labored gasps in an attempt to catch her breath. Hyperventilation syndrome: The silly disorder that attributed to the many Naruto-induced fainting spells throughout her childhood.

It wasn't responsible for the crying, though.

Hinata turned to her side and deepened her breathing. She closed her eyes and imagined her husband on the bed beside her, his hand passing along her back – and his lips, against her temple, urging her to calm down.

She held her sheets against her chest. Tears continued to roll down her face, burning her cheeks and leaving them raw. When she closed her eyes, she saw only death. When she opened them, nothing changed. Her life had become a nightmare, and this world of the past...it was a temporary escape. One slip and it would happen all over again. Another, and her future would be ruined. Her husband – her daughter – all lost to the butterfly effect.

These fears overwhelmed her, even in her dreams.

Because if she wanted to preserve the future, she had to overlook the despair in the past. She couldn't protect anyone – _not even herself._

Hinata climbed out of the bed, her knees trembling beneath her. She had to clean herself up. _I can't let him see me like this._

* * *

He hadn't witnessed Kakashi's death, and yet he saw it, _vividly, _in his dreams. Why could he recall something he'd never seen? Why did that laughter plague his mind, even then?

Things grew more puzzling when he awoke and stared at the ceiling. Through half-lidded eyes, Sasuke watched, again, as his sensei died; a lucid memory, imprinted in his mind, as though it was _real_, as though it had happened moments prior. His chest heaved, and his heart raced, yet...such dreams weren't enough to unnerve him. He had seen things far worse, things that _weren't_ merely born of his imagination.

His body trembled as foreign emotions ricocheted off the walls of his mind, pouring into his eyes, his brows, and his lips. _Anger, sorrow, defeat... _An endless barrage of negative feelings, blinding him with fury, malice; _excitement _– he clutched his chest and gasped for breath. These emotions weren't his; nightmares no longer fazed him – _the feelings hadn't a source._

That's when it hit him.

_It must be...Hinata?_

It could have been any one of them, but something about the hopeless feeling in his chest...alongside anger and temptation, as though _painfully_ resisting...

He didn't know how or why, but he was sharing Hinata's emotions. He felt what she felt, and the intensity of her anxiety left him nearly immobile. Slowly, the bout subsided, and his breathing deepened enough for him to sit up and groan.

He half-expected Kasai to mimic him, as she usually did when sharing their bed, but the child was nowhere to be seen. Sasuke threw off the sheets and whispered a curse.

* * *

_He would have had blue eyes..._

_...and silly pink hair._

Contrary to popular belief, Uzumaki Naruto was _not _a morning person. He awoke with a jolt, and spat a multitude of obscenities that would have made Sasuke quite proud. The blonde held his skull in frustration. The spirit's silky voice – _it was maddening._

_He would have surpassed both his parents._

_He would have fallen in love._

"Why are you taunting me?" he said. "Why are you – _still _– taunting me?" Again and again, he heard the creature's voice. He'd clutched on to the description of the son he would've had.

**Naruto, **Sakura's voice penetrated his thoughts. **Are you awake?**

His wife hadn't even known.

**I'm just...getting dressed, **Naruto managed, allowing himself to fall against white pillows. **I'll meet you in the kitchen.**

Sakura hadn't known she was pregnant. She hadn't known the spirit had stolen their unborn child. She didn't even know that it was all his fault.

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut. _It had to be done. _He had sacrificed everything for the sake of the mission. He would succeed at all cost, even if it meant opposing Sasuke and Hinata.

Even if it meant killing an innocent little girl.

* * *

Hinata, fifteen, hadn't slept at all. Since the previous night, she felt on edge. There were four strangers residing in the guest wing of her house: one who terrified her, one who seemed rather friendly, one who was uncomfortably similar to her, and one whose crystal blue eyes made her swoon. When someone grabbed her hand, she nearly shrieked.

It was the little girl. The little _Uchiha _girl.

Hinata had been pacing the halls of the guest wing with a pile of linen beneath one arm. She had decided she could sneak into each of the rooms and change the sheets while everyone was at breakfast. It would minimize the risk of her having a panic attack.

She stared down at the child in shock.

"I like you," said Kasai, smiling shyly.

That was the thing about five-year-olds. They were clingy – affectionate...and they melted her heart. Hinata smiled. "I like you too," she confessed. Despite Kasai's relationship to someone as withdrawn as Uchiha Sasuke, she was genial and adorable.

"Let's be best friends!"

"Um...okay..."

With Kasai clutching her hand, and watching her in curiosity, Hinata approached the first room in the guest wing. Just as she reached for the knob, the door swung open on its own.

She blanched upon coming face to face with Mirai Sasuke.

Or rather, face to chest.

He was far taller than the Sasuke she knew, and slightly more...human. The man rubbed the side of his neck while wincing beneath the luminescent white bulbs beaming over them. He wore a strong jaw and a tired frown, but his shirt was carried in his hand. Hinata reflected that his body was lined with muscle and scar tissue, the gentle strokes of an ANBU tattoo evident against his pale shoulder. Her eyes lifted to the markings at the base of his neck.

She was jerked back into reality when the man pulled on a torn black turtleneck. It was sleeveless and formfitting, and meant to accompany ANBU chest amour. His long bangs hung in his dark eyes. "Hinata."

She reddened, mortified that she'd been staring, and stunned that the man had acknowledged her, so _frankly_ – as though they _knew _each other. Hinata took a step backwards.

It was just so bizarre.

A tug on her shirt reminded her of Kasai's presence. Hinata's hand unconsciously tightened around the small one within it. What if this Sasuke was like the young one? What if their counterparts didn't get along? Could he be trusted? Could _he _trust _her? _What if he was angry – and didn't want her around his daughter? "I...I-I b-brought...I b-br-brought..."

Sasuke eyed the young version of his wife. She wasn't managing to speak much...let alone breathe much. His eyes lowered to Kasai who gazed worriedly up at the girl, shaking her arm as if attempting to awake her.

It was shocking to see the full extent of his wife's development from the timid girl she had been at fifteen. The change was so drastic Kasai hadn't even recognized the young Hinata as her mother. He eyed the heiress, noticing the pile of linen tucked under her arm, and took the initiative to pry it free. "What are you doing for the next few hours?"

As expected, the girl panicked. "M-m-meeting...K-Kiba and...a-and...Sh-Shino...t-tr-training at...a-at-at..."

Sasuke frowned. The young heiress was quick to establish an alibi. Was she really that frightened of him? "I see..." He had somehow learned to decipher Hinata's incoherent babbling over the years...even _his _Hinata had relapses from time to time. "You're not busy, then? Can you watch my daughter?"

Her mouth snapped shut. Hinata said nothing, but stared uncomfortably up at him. She could do nothing as he walked passed her.

He already knew her answer.

Sasuke could hear his daughter cheering as he crossed the hall. **Keep an eye on her, **he told Kasai as he slipped into another room. He knew his wife wouldn't approve of the way he'd taken advantage of her young self, but he'd never liked the idea of her long training sessions alone with the anomalies she called teammates.

He spotted the woman in question reclined on her bed with her legs drawn and crossed. She lifted her head, blinking as he entered the room.

"Good morning," said Sasuke, raising his brows.

**Morning. **Even in their minds, her voice was tiny.

"I'm right here," said the Uchiha. "You can speak aloud." He approached the bed to peer down at her.

_My throat is raw, _she thought, but responded, **Too tired, **and yawned, closing her eyes.

**Aa. Too tired to speak? **He was unconvinced.

Hinata sat up. **You shouldn't be here. **She stood and headed for the door, hoping to be left alone, but her husband grabbed her arm.

"Why were you crying?"

**You know why.**

But he didn't. "Hinata..."

"Just another bad dream," she mentioned hoarsely. _It doesn't matter._

"A dream?" Sasuke said. "About Kakashi?"

Hinata seemed confused by his inquiry. She shook her head. "No. Not about him."

He had suspected he'd somehow intercepted Hinata's nightmare through their telepathic bond, but apparently, that wasn't the case. The dream hadn't been Hinata's, it had been _his. He, _himself, had created the twittering sounds of Kakashi's draining blood, and _he, _himself, had depicted the way it would feel as it pooled at his feet.

Still, the emotions that followed had not been his. He looked back at his wife whose eyes were downcast.

"I dreamt about what happened to me...when I was fifteen."

His eyes widened. _How could I have not realized? _Anger and frustration bubbled in his chest. He watched Hinata's eyes widen, for she could feel it too.

_...What is this? _Why were they sharing emotions? He did his best to meditate – to clear his mind and suppress them. Hinata continued to watch him, one of her hands held to her heart.

"Thanks," she managed.

_Thanks? _

She looked away from him. "Ano...I think we should give Kasai the spare bedroom beside this one. She does enjoy privacy." She smiled, successfully changing the subject.

The Hyuuga head did not like sympathy, and Sasuke knew it. She liked to grow stronger – to overcome each obstacle as it came her way. That couldn't stop him from wanting to hold her, but his arms locked at his sides.

"Aa," said Sasuke. And then, unconsciously, he brushed a few strands of hair away from her face.

"You're shivering."

His trembling hand lingered on her temple. He hadn't noticed; he was too focused on her. "I'm still...weak." He reluctantly submitted to her diversions. "Loan me some energy."

Hinata glanced away, biting her lip adorably. **I'm scared. **But she wasn't. She had never been frightened the countless times they'd done it before. He noticed the playful quirk of her lips, and the tension in his chest subsided. The woman was a strategist.

**Hm? **He idly stroked her jugular like an affectionate vampire.

"When we mix chakra, I get jumpy." Hinata's smile widened. "You get emotional."

The nightmares were suddenly far behind her, for the act of teasing Sasuke was curative in itself.

"I think I can handle it," he said, his cheek twitching.

Hinata closed her eyes. "Fine," she said, tilting her head back.

He grabbed her shoulders, kissing her and creating a bridge between their auras. A flow of blue chakra poured out of Hinata and into him, causing his eyes to widen, and his pupils to turn red. His hold on her tightened and he pulled her closer, but she broke away just before either of them could lose control. The two caught their breaths and Sasuke's eyes returned to black. He experimentally opened and closed his fist, watching wisps of lightening flicker in his palm.

It was something they'd picked up over the years.

Sasuke allowed his wife to sink against his chest. "Thank you," he said, lowering his lips to her head and wrapping his arms around her waist. He smirked. "We should get breakfast."

Hinata peered up at him. **You're not ordinarily a breakfast person.**

**You're not ordinarily this difficult.**


	5. Persuasive

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 5**

Heaving a defeated sigh, Hinata exited the Hyuuga household, a five-year-old girl clutching her hand. How was she expected to train while babysitting? How would her teammates react to the intruder?

The heiress found herself continuously glancing down at Kasai. _She's beautiful, _Hinata mused, as they stepped onto the porch.

She was surprised that Mirai Sasuke was there, rather than in the dining room like everyone else. She, herself, hadn't the nerve to attend breakfast, feeling far too nervous to confront her future self. Perhaps she was a coward to admit she didn't want to know her future.

Mirai Sasuke's body was turned away from her. He leaned on a wooden railing, his black eyes affixed to the sunrise. Though his expression implied apathy, his breathing was deep. His demeanor bore a strong appreciation for the cool air, as though fighting anxiety.

Hinata could sense it. She didn't know how or why, but she could _feel _it.

A mask of indifference...alongside apprehension...fear?

"Otousan!"

Dazed, she realized Kasai had broken away from her to run to her father's side. The child wrapped around his legs, startling the Uchiha. He looked down, and quickly offered Kasai one of those practiced smiles.

Or rather, a smirk.

But it was warm. _Fatherly._

Kasai beamed so widely Hinata could spot where she'd lost a molar.

Father and daughter exchanged a thousand words with those wicked expressions.

Tearing away from Kasai's gaze, Sasuke seemed to notice her. "Hinata..." he said, observing her timid bearing. "-san," he abruptly added, upon noticing her redden.

Hinata tried to cool down – to control rampaging emotions – _whatever_ they meant to do, as they fluttered in her chest. Why did this older, _kinder _Uchiha Sasuke make her feel so uncomfortable? The heiress swallowed her fear and searched for words, "Ano...I'm taking...Sai-chan...t-training with me?" she croaked.

_Sai-chan? _Hinata was stunned by the abruptness with which the nickname had manifested, though Sasuke didn't seem to even notice.

The dark-eyed man nodded. "Don't let her train with you. She's accident-prone," he said, as his daughter pouted and began to tug his clothes. "And don't treat her to any drinks. Again...she's accident-prone."

"Right," said Hinata, not appreciating his implication, but studying his solemn eyes.

"And if you come across my young self...treat him as a stranger."

Hinata blinked, her stupor broken. "Hai..." she said, as the man turned back to the sky. He offered a halfhearted farewell to his daughter, and suddenly Kasai was holding her hand again, dragging her into the yard. The heiress' mind was littered with questions, many which she knew would never be answered. In a haze, she followed the girl – who already seemed to know her way around – through the garden, passed the gates, beyond the wall, and onto the road, where they met-

"'Tousan!"

Sasuke. _Again._

The young one.

Hinata stared in shock, her face flushed, and her heart pounding furiously in her throat. _What a day._

The teenage boy brooded near the wall, his hands stuffed in his pockets before he noticed Kasai. The unintentional twitch of his lips could be deemed _demented. _Like his mentor encountering new prey, he slithered forward, cautiously curious.

Hinata squeaked. Her hand tightening around Kasai's, she attempted to drag the girl back into the yard, when Sasuke grabbed the child's other hand. Hinata froze, watching as Kasai giggled and proclaimed _how she missed him._

The heiress gulped as Sasuke eyed her. Kasai stood between them, peacefully unaware of how close both her shoulders were to being dislocated. The Uchiha's eyebrows were furrowed, and he seemed uncertain. "Hyuuga-san," he stated.

_Hyuuga-san? _Though they'd never spoken, it was strangely formal. They had grown up in the academy together. Moreover, he didn't address _anyone else_ like that. Surely he was comfortable using her first name?

...assuming her knew it.

With a sharp jerk, she tore Kasai away from Sasuke, lifting the child to prop her against her hip. She didn't know _why_ her eyebrows furrowed and fists knotted. She shouldn't have been fazed that he'd forgotten her first name.

_A lot_ of people did.

In confusion, Kasai peeked over her shoulder as she was carted away by the kunoichi's swift pace. Hinata followed her gaze, becoming dismayed to notice Sasuke was pursuing them, and looking peeved. He quickly matched her pace, and they were suddenly side by side, looking like friends, or comrades.

Or even a teenage boy trying to woo a cute girl.

The villagers took little notice and offered no response, except for the occasional wave or giggle.

Sasuke casually stuffed his hands into his pockets again. Inwardly, he was still trying to figure out her name, peering upon her head as though it would give him some clue or the other.

Hinata relinquished any eye contact he attempted to initiate. She lowered Kasai to the road again, where the girl gripped her right arm and Sasuke's left. _What am I going to do? _Hinata wondered, quickening her pace in a feeble attempt to reach her teammates. Sasuke only mimicked her, gritting his teeth as he muttered, alas, "Hinata."

He pronounced her name wrong...with an over-emphasis on the first two syllables. No one else seemed to do that. It was...interesting.

They had reached the training grounds, late to both their team meetings. The members of squad seven and eight were vehemently discussing the matter, scattered about a grassy field, each looking concerned or annoyed.

It took only a moment for Naruto to spot them. "Is that them?" he said. The missing members of their teams were standing at the edge of the clearing, facing each other, and discussing something he couldn't catch. Hinata looked as though she wanted to run away, but was absorbed in Sasuke's remarks, not seeming to have noticed the spectators.

Between Sasuke and Hinata stood Uchiha Kasai. They clutched each of her hands, as guardians would. The child peered curiously from one to the other.

Naruto could only gape. Sasuke _talking _to a girl – and Hinata at that! The concept was foreign to him. As he tilted his head to the side, hoping the scene would start to make sense, Sakura reddened, and Kiba produced an angry fanged grin. Kurenai's lips twitched, Shino removed his beloved sunglasses, but only Kakashi's eyes widened in comprehension.

"Oi! Hinata!" Kiba yelled.

Hinata didn't hear him. Her undivided attention was focused on Uchiha Sasuke.

He'd conjured a breathy statement. Something thick with _pathos_. Iruka-sensei would have applauded.

"Twelve hours ago, I had nothing to live for."

Her chest ached and her stomach clenched.

Why did his eyes glimmer in triumph?

Sasuke was a persuasive person. She had little resolve to speak of, so why steal her final drop? Why sabotage her promise to a loving father?

Mirai Sasuke would be angry, though he seemed so insignificant at that particular moment, as Sasuke, the _true _Sasuke, grabbed her arm and pulled her close. He held her eyes, daring her to deny him. She was terrified...and enthralled. Kasai gasped as she was pressed between them, but her muffled complaints were left ignored. Kiba tore across the field to reach them, and Sasuke's onyx gaze grew all the more intense.

"Okay," the heiress whispered. She didn't know what he wanted, or what she was consenting to, but weakly submitted. "All right."

Sasuke lifted Kasai, causing the child to giggle. He wrapped an arm behind Hinata, and the trio disappeared into the surrounding tree branches. Hinata heard Kiba hiss a curse, and wondered just what she'd gotten herself into.


	6. Interrogate

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 6**

Nara Shikamaru hated children. It was a _well-known_ fact. Why he had been assigned academy duty was beyond him.

The five-year-old allegedly _"_gifted" children cried, drooled, and slept through his lessons. _And none of them were potty-trained! _He'd changed so many dirty diapers that morning, he was beginning to _smell_ like one.

Snapping his lesson plan closed and hastily shoving a few lolly-pops into his vest, the chunnin shuffled out of the classroom, more than slightly aware of the figures lurking outside the window.

But he didn't care. He _really _hated children.

* * *

Everyone stood in silence for a moment after the two had disappeared.

Kakashi was the only one who seemed unbothered. "Well I guess we better get start-"

"Where did he take her?" Kiba snarled, his biceps braced and arms trembling.

Sighing, Kakashi pulled out the latest Icha Icha edition.

"_Where _– did – he – take – her!" Kiba repeated, this time turning to Naruto.

The blonde bristled. "How am _I_ supposed to know? Maybe she's the girl he's after. Maybe she's the one who's gonna make him crazy sharingan babies!" Inner-Naruto did a little dance. _And maybe Sakura-chan will be all __**mine.**_

"Don't be an **idiot, **Naruto!" snapped the girl in question.

"Are you _insane?_" Kiba grabbed his collar and began to violently shake him.

As Kurenai sighed and rubbed her temples, Kakashi tucked his nose into his book.

_Maybe._

* * *

Sasuke's hand was clamped over Kasai's face as the child struggled to pull it away. Hinata could only stare in horror.

"I – I don't think she can b-breathe," the heiress said. Was it her imagination, or was the girl turning blue?

Though Sasuke seemed to ignore her at first, he eventually released Kasai's mouth, allowing the child to gasp for breath. "He's leaving," the teenager muttered, ignoring Kasai's exaggerated huffs.

"Wh-what are we d-doing at the Academy?" Hinata said, her voice laced with uncertainly. She watched Sasuke heft Kasai through the open window, the child cheering despite the fact that the same man had attempted to suffocate her just moments prior.

"What do you _think_ we're doing?" Sasuke said, glancing around a second time to ensure no one was watching. "Idiot," he added, just as an afterthought. He stood aside to allow her passage.

Hinata's cheeks burned. "Kurenai-sensei said I should distance myself from people who insult me!" It was more so squeaked than said. There was a moment of awkward silence in which Sasuke's lips parted and Hinata stared at the ground. She deeply inhaled, fighting off a massive anxiety attack.

"Aa."

Biting her bottom lip, Hinata raised her head, looking not at Sasuke, but watching Kasai as she darted for classroom toys. The heiress noticed that Sasuke hadn't moved, but was waiting for her to go first. She climbed onto the windowsill.

She'd taught in this classroom before, back when she had first become chunnin.

Mostly out of habit, Hinata took a seat behind the desk. The room was different from what she remembered. For one thing, it was a mess, toys littering the floor. Barely legible handwriting was scrawled across the blackboard, and all of the sentences became diagonal, as though the teacher had a lazy posture. Things were drawn on the walls. Nonsensical pictures only children could conjure – or interpret for that matter. It seemed it was a class for children far younger than those she was accustomed to teaching.

Sasuke stood a few feet away from the desk, watching his daughter-to-be initiate a fight between two dolls. "Kasai, who is your mother?"

So _that's _what they were doing. Interrogating a little girl.

Hinata frowned.

"My kaasan..." Kasai blinked innocently. "Is...my kaasan."

"But _who?" _Sasuke persisted. "What's her name?"

The child's bottom lip trembled. "K-Kaasan."

_She doesn't understand the question, _Hinata thought, her eyebrows furrowed.

The Uchiha didn't sigh. He wasn't the type of person to become exasperated. Instead he twisted his face in a deranged manner. "How old are you then?" His voice was calm despite the frightening look on his face.

"F-fi-five," Kasai said.

"Leave her alone."

It was whispered but Sasuke heard it. He glanced at Hinata who was staring hard at the desk, an irate expression across her gentle features.

"What?"

"Leave. Her." The Hyuuga caught Sasuke's eyes. "A-a-a-" Why had she consented to this? Her face was flushed and her heart pounding, but she refused to back down...at least until he approached.

Hyuuga Hinata, a slave to her family, as well as that _speaking impediment. _What nerve. Sasuke faced the desk, placing his hands upon it. The two were suddenly eye to eye.

"I just want to get started on Kasai, and her _siblings_, as soon as possible," Sasuke said, and with so much apathy on the matter that Hinata blushed.

"I don't th-think she h-has any brothers or si-sisters," she said.

"Perhaps she'd like some."

"I want brothers and sisters!" Kasai piped in.

Hinata's blush deepened. "Her mother s-surely wouldn't be some sort of a– a–" she looked at Kasai and her mouth snapped shut. _What did I get myself into?_

As Kasai turned back to the toys, the corner of Sasuke's lips rose. The hint of a smirk. He vaguely realized he was speaking not to Kasai but to Hinata, and he'd never done it before – just _talking. _He'd never had incentive to _play nice _either, and he found himself enjoying it – if only to mortify her.

"Interested in helping me find her, Hyuuga?"

"N-no!"

And now he was teasing her. _Why _was he teasing her? _...the hell..._

She gave him a cold stare. Sasuke was unaffected. And so for a moment they watched each other.

He looked away first. "Kasai, where do you live?"

"We live at home, tousan! In my _house_. It's _really pretty._"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "And you live with your father?"

"And okaasan!"

"And you say you're four?"

"I'm **five**!"

Resting her elbows against the surface of the desk, Hinata put her face in her hands. She was surprised when Sasuke walked around to her side of the desk and sat on it, placing his feet on the arm of her chair. As far as Hinata was concerned, he may as well have sat in her lap. She focused on the desktop, more heat rising to her cheeks.

That's when she felt him lean closer.

"In roughly four years, three months, I'll have this woman in bed."

And why was he telling her this?

"Though I'd like to expedite the process..."

This was a different method of torture.

"Assuming you find her," Hinata said, her burning face still in her hands.

Sasuke stood. This was true. If he didn't know who this person was, how was he supposed to find her?

She had to be strong. Very strong.

Sasuke glanced out the window. The sun was setting.

* * *

"Don't forget to close the plug outlets. _You know how she likes plug outlets."_

"Yes."

The room had been stripped of all that was white, and instead covered in colors. A barrage of colors. Colors that blinded the Uchiha.

Kasai _didn't like colors, _but her mother intended to change this – _by force._

Sasuke felt sorry for his daughter, but he wasn't one to protest when it came to Hinata's resolve.

Not usually.

"Are we done here?" Sasuke questioned, wanting to leave the terrible room. He glanced at the darkening sky through the window.

"No," his wife responded, throwing aside the pale bedspread. "Too empty. Too snubby. _Too white._" Hinata was clearly losing her mind. It was all right though. It happened from time to time.

_Where are they? _Sasuke's mind was elsewhere. Hinata was disconnected, but he knew she was curious as well. Her counterpart was a cause for concern. He'd never liked her long training sessions with Kiba and Shino. He'd never liked her training with _any man _for that matter. She was too vulnerable, too _weak _at fifteen. He wandered into the hall and peered toward the entrance of the wing. What was she doing out after dark? Didn't she appreciate the precarious nature of Konoha's peace? She was an idiot to presume the night was safe.

Kasai would keep on eye on her.

As if on cue, his daughter entered the corridor. Upon spotting him, she attacked his legs, then raised her arms: a request to be lifted. Sasuke complied out of habit, but his eyes were on the young Hinata who had been following Kasai. She stared meekly at her feet until she spotted him, glanced up, blushed, then shuffled away.

"Hn..."

Hn," Kasai mimicked him.

From inside the room, Hinata spotted her daughter. She approached the two, briefly kissing Kasai's cheeks. "Come, let me show you your _new bedroom!_" Hinata said with feigned optimism, pulling the girl out of Sasuke's arms. They entered the room and closed the door behind them.

There was a cry of dismay.

Sasuke sighed and leaned against the wall.** Naruto. Sakura?**

A moment of silence.

**Sasuke-kun. **A "kun," simply out of habit.

**Yo? **Aloof. This meant he was preoccupied.

Sasuke closed his eyes. **Where have you been?**

**Scouting, **responded Naruto. Sakura didn't comment.

Sasuke scowled. They were scouting? _Without him?_

But he hadn't disclosed _his_ plans. Why would they want to reveal _theirs_? **Can you meet me at the Hokage tower tomorrow morning? At dawn? We should speak to Tsunade about a few things.**

There was a pause.

**Sure. **Naruto.

**Hai. **Sakura.

Sasuke broke off the telepathic connection just as Hinata exited Kasai's room. "I was thinking we could put her in the academy," Sasuke mentioned, a statement he'd planned. His mind was constantly a haze of riddles and equations. It wasn't difficult to navigate from one matter to the next.

And he wasn't trying to fool her.

He was just keeping his promise.

Hinata blinked. "She's still young," she said, walking toward her room. Sasuke followed.

"It'll keep her occupied."

"I guess..." Hinata entered the bedroom and stopped by the window, looking through it if only to avoid her husband's eyes. "We'll need to speak to Tsunade-sama."

"I doubt there would be a problem."

"...and she'll be in a class with eight-year-olds."

"They may have younger classes."

"Oh. Okay then."

Silence. Hinata continued to stare out the window.

"Goodnight," she said.

"Hinata, look at me."

He could always read her. The Hyuuga smiled despite herself. "I...can't."

He knew she was crying again, but let her off easy that time. A second tear rolled down her cheek as he exited the room.

That night she had terrible nightmares.

* * *

Mirai Naruto leapt to the next rooftop, his wife always just a step behind him. It was after midnight, but the moon was full, illuminating their path with silver light.

It was a devastating point in Konoha's history, and they needed to monitor everything that went wrong.

The two reached the edge of the village and entered the woods. They circled Konoha through the branches, watching their neighbors as they slept, drank, and plotted. In those woods, Lee was training, Kiba was hunting, and team ten had gone off on a late mission. Two teenagers were kissing, and a one-eyed-dog attempted to follow them. It couldn't keep up.

Naruto suddenly stopped. Curiously, Sakura followed suit. The two stood on a tree branch and faced one another. They grabbed each other's arms to test their distance in the darkness.

Sakura pulled her hair away from her face. She wondered what Naruto was thinking. "Is this right?" she wondered aloud.

"It is." Naruto leapt onto a higher branch. Sakura followed. "The first attack – it all happened so suddenly," he said. The blonde had reached the highest branch he could find, and settled his gaze on the moon. He felt the branch shift as his wife joined him. She slipped her arms around him to keep her balance.

"They say that's what started it all," Sakura murmured into his shoulder. "They say terrible things happened on that day. They say the Hyuuga clan-"

"It _isn't _what started it all," Naruto cut in.

Sakura closed her eyes.

"And it's not our problem."


	7. Comfort

**Mirai **means **future**. You will see it in front of characters' names from time to time to clarify whether we're dealing with their past or future selves.

"Talking."

_Thinking._

**Telepathy.**

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 7**

It was at midnight that she shot up in bed because of the screaming. Her husband was _screaming _and it made her bite her tongue and her body spasm. Hinata tried to stand but fell to the ground. The noise wasn't aloud, it burst from her mind, which just made it _so much worse._

Breathing until the screaming had subsided and her world was clear of doubles, Hinata climbed to her feet and moved toward the door. By the time she crossed the hall, she saw that Naruto and Sakura had beaten her there.

They stood outside Sasuke's bedroom, Naruto rubbing his eyes as Sakura muttered something, clutching a robe around her.

Both were dressed in their nightclothes. Hinata approached.

"You heard it?"

"I thought my brain would explode," said the blonde despondently.

Every once in a while Sasuke would have a bad dream. His chakra would spike, and sometimes his sharingan would activate; but never had he screamed. Their telepathic connection seemed to betray his pain. Even then, her limbs trembled, a deep sense of helplessness causing her chest to ache.

Emotions had bled into mentality, startling everyone to who Sasuke held a telepathic connection.

Predominantly, _her_.

"You two can go back to bed. I'll...talk to him," Hinata said, blushing slightly.

A moment passed in which no one moved. And another.

"Ah...all right," Naruto said. He continued to look at Hinata, but she did not meet his eyes. "Goodnight then."

"Goodnight."

The kunoichi waited, listening to her comrades enter their respective bedrooms, before rapping on Sasuke's door.

* * *

It was just after midnight when he realized it had happened again.

He'd had a dream that wasn't his. A vivid depiction of something he had never actually witnessed.

He drew his knees and buried his face, hoping he hadn't bothered anyone.

And then he heard whispering beyond his bedroom door

A soft tapping against the wooden frame.

Sasuke didn't respond, but waited for the noise to cease. When it did, he brought his face to his hands. His body was drenched in sweat, his heart threatening to break from his chest.

The door opened and he didn't move, but focused on breathing; meditating – whatever it would take to control that excruciating sense of impotence-

She could feel it too.

Hinata leaned against his door. It was still shocking to know she and her comrades could now feel each other's emotions at times. It was also hard to determine whether it was a strength or a weakness, and whether the benefits of telepathy would outweigh its violations.

"You shouldn't be here," Sasuke said hoarsely.

The Hyuuga nodded. "For the sake of discretion, or for the sake of your privacy?" she said.

Sasuke sighed. _I don't know. _He closed his eyes and pulled his damp hair out of his face.

He could sense her approaching but didn't look up. The mattress shifted. She was sitting beside him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

She touched his arm, and his skin seemed to ignite there. When she touched his face, he finally met her gaze.

"Then tell me what you want to do," Hinata whispered.

For a while he simply watched her, his eyes half-lidded, and his face a mask of indifference.

Hinata was persistent. She moved closer to him, into his arms, against his chest, and pushed his body down. His back hit the mattress and she nipped the crook of his neck, her fingers expertly unbuttoning the front of his nightshirt.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said as he stared at the ceiling. His chest heaved, her freesia scent intoxicating.

"It's all right," his wife assured him, and his resolve crumbled.

He caught her lips and kissed her back, _harder. _He turned them over so he was looking down at her, in the Chinese nightgown that followed her shape, with the slits on the sides and the ghost white silk.

He tore it off and took her greedily.

* * *

Her torn nightdress lay on the bedroom floor.

There was a robe in the bathroom adjoining Sasuke's room. It was too large for her, but it would suffice.

Her husband had a roll of bandages in his top drawer. Carefully she unraveled them, and they rolled across the bureau.

Though he was behind her, she could see him through the mirror. He slept on his back, the sheets drawn to his waist.

Hinata's eyes shifted back to her reflection. The bruises on her throat clashed with her pale skin. Taking the loose end of the bandage roll, she meticulously wrapped her neck. Not too loose, not too tight. Not too low, not too high. Her attention drifted back to Sasuke.

He'd awoken, and was sitting up. Wearily he observed her through the mirror. For moments nothing was said as the Uchiha watched her conceal her marked skin.

Hinata finished up and left the room.

* * *

Mirai Sasuke left the house early that morning. He carried his sword, if only out of habit. He was actually rather uncomfortable with his _lack _of weaponry. The Hyuugas had loaned him some clothes, most of them far too long and bulky for his liking. He would amend that, he decided, as he reached the Hokage tower.

He was surprised to see Hinata standing there as if waiting for him.

"What are you doing here?"

The kunoichi frowned. "Naruto and Sakura said you wanted us to meet you here."

He'd wanted _them _to meet him, _not her._

It was just after sunrise and many shinobi were already about. People scurried in and out of the tower, eying the pair all the while. Two from the future. The Uchiha and the Hyuuga. Sasuke and Hinata.

"Where are the others?" Sasuke asked, more quietly.

"I don't know," Hinata said. She absently fingered her bandaged neck and his chest tightened. "They said they would meet us here."

Sasuke grimaced. He couldn't afford to wait. "Let's go inside," he said, entering the building and hearing his wife follow. Any small conference between them was bound to make people suspicious. They didn't look like comrades, nor did they look like friends. Hinata was too attractive – too _exotic looking_ to be having a casual conversation with the socially inadequate Uchiha. They had little in common as far as Konoha was concerned, and if she wasn't a sparring partner, what _really _did Sasuke have to discuss with the woman – _any _woman, for that matter.

Then again, no one said she wasn't his sparring partner.

"You look bad," Sasuke said. The previous night had reduced him to a sick, broken, version of himself. Only in the daylight did he notice the dark dashes beneath Hinata's eyes. She looked as though she hadn't slept in days.

"As do you," Hinata returned. The two ascended the staircase that led to Tsunade's office. "Last night – I could feel everything that you felt."

"A side-effect of Naruto's jutsu," Sasuke said. He entered the Hokage's office and Hinata followed.

The kunoichi parted her lips to respond, but paused, and snapped her mouth shut. **Your nightmare – it must have been terrible.**

Sasuke eyed her as though she was over-exaggerating. **It was nothing, Hyuuga. If anything, the dream was...beneficial.**

Hinata stared. She'd ignore the rude epithet for the moment, if only to contemplate his sanity. _Beneficial, _he called it? A nightmare that had jolted four people into consciousness – beneficial? A dream that had smothered _her_ in hopelessness and caused her physical pain – _beneficial?_

"Ahem."

Senju Tsunade twisted a pen between her fingers. "Is this a social visit? Or were you just planning to stare at each other for the next few minutes? Forgive me, I didn't mean to interrupt."

Sasuke scowled and Hinata bowed her head.

"Hokage-sama," she said.

"Un?" Tsunade questioned, tapping her pen impatiently. She eyed the pair.

Sasuke spoke. "I was interested in enrolling my daughter-"

_Their _daughter.

"-in the academy."

Tsunade raised her eyebrow, not toward the request, but at the Hyuuga. Hinata hadn't had any neck injuries upon her arrival. Why was her throat bandaged? "I don't see why not..." Tsunade said, her amber eyes remaining on Hinata's. The woman returned her stare without a flinch. It was...interesting. "Anything else?"

"I was hoping to receive a new hitai-ate." It seemed Sasuke was doing all the talking. "A new uniform. _My_ _proper ranking."_

The Hokage eyed him for a moment. His expression remained impassive. He wanted the authority behind an official rank. Just what was he planning?

_No questions. No questions._

"Not a problem," said Tsunade, feigning disinterest. "And what is that rank?" She pulled out the necessary forms.

"Jounin."

Hinata blinked. Sasuke was lying. The jounin status was considerably below his level, and he'd never expressed an interest in it before.

"All right," said the blonde woman, quickly jotting something down. "I'll send for you to pick up your uniform later. Are we done here?"

"Ano, Tsunade-sama." Apparently not. "I have a personal matter I wanted to speak to you about," said Hinata.

As Sasuke glanced at the Hyuuga, Tsunade tilted her head. "How personal?"

Hinata looked away. "Uchiha-san-"

_Uchiha-san?_

"-If you could...give us some privacy," Hinata said, fidgeting.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. _He wasn't buying it. _"I'm sure I can handle it, Hyuuga."

Tsunade cocked her head to the side, wondering how she'd gotten dragged into a lovers' quarrel.

Hinata's cheeks reddened, but she turned back to the Hokage. "I need a contraceptive, or a prescription for one, and I need it _now."_

Sasuke blanched. "I'll wait outside," he mentioned, and exited the office.

It had worked, as it always did, and Sasuke would not be able to contest what she was going to say next.

"And I need you to restore my rank." Unconsciously the kunoichi clenched her fists. "I was in the special assassination and tactical squad."

ANBU.

She didn't care what Sasuke would say. She needed a distraction, that was all. If the ANBU could keep her occupied and away from the personal misfortune of a fifteen-year-old girl, then she would take it, regardless of her husband's opinion.

The Hokage was watching her, not a hint of doubt in the woman's eyes. "I didn't peg you as the type."

"A lot of people didn't."

Tsunade withdrew another form. "Were you serious about the birth control?"

Hinata nodded. It had been the first time she'd been with her husband in weeks, and she couldn't afford to get pregnant again.

When Hinata exited the office Sasuke was waiting outside for her. He watched her hang the rat mask on her belt. "What did you do?"

Her past self was a _stupid _girl. Hinata kept reminding herself so she'd never forget – that at fifteen she'd been a stupid, irredeemable girl, who couldn't be helped. Not by her, or anyone for that matter_._

Sasuke grabbed her shoulders. _"What _are you _doing?" _he growled.

She _needed _this, even if it bound her to the bingo book. The ANBU was time consuming; energy consuming. Those in ANBU weren't allowed the freedoms jounin and chunnin were offered.

"Yo."

The two looked up. Hatake Kakashi, in all his deviance.

Sasuke released his wife. "We were leaving."

The man pocketed his dirty novel. "So was I."

_How convenient._

Sasuke grimaced. He had dreamt of the man's death a few nights prior. Kakashi's presence was disconcerting. The Uchiha's sense of unease spread to his wife.

"Actually, I was going to get some breakfast. You should join me." The jounin's crinkled right eye exploited his false jollity.

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"Good," said Kakashi.

* * *

Mirai Naruto and Sakura watched as the trio left the tower, two practically being dragged along by their wrists.

"Why's he so curious?" Naruto said, stepping into the street only when the others were out of sight. "Kakashi's not a nosey person."

"Nor is he a trusting one," said Sakura as they entered Hokage tower.


	8. Discretion

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 8**

The door opened, and someone shrugged inside, without a pleasantry; no regard at all.

"So..."

_So?_

"You're going to die in seven days."

* * *

Red tables and green marble floors. Only Kakashi could have discovered such a place – it seemed as though it had been built as an after-thought, hastily squeezed between two larger buildings.

The three had taken a corner booth in the small, quiet diner. Kakashi had ordered for the three of them as Sasuke and Hinata simply stared. He insisted he needed his _leg room_, so his "friends" would have to sit together on the bench across from him. The jounin watched the pair pick from their plates, either uncomfortable or annoyed.

"You're not eating," Sasuke remarked.

Annoyed, then.

"Not hungry," said Kakashi.

His eyebrows furrowing, the Uchiha opened his mouth to retort, but Kakashi cut him off by saying, "So, what brings you to the past?"

His cheek twitching slightly, Sasuke retired to his orange juice. Hinata popped a pill into her mouth.

"Necessity."

Kakashi watched her. Solider pills? Medicine? "You can certainly offer your _sensei_ another hint or two?"

"No," they said in unison.

Sasuke had run out of orange juice. He took Hinata's.

"Fine." Kakashi tried a new tactic. "Tell me about your daughter. How old is she?"

Sasuke didn't respond but took to glaring at the man. He wouldn't play these games.

It was then that Hyuuga Hinata bit the inside of her cheek and mumbled, "Five."

Sasuke turned to her sharply.

"Kasai – his daughter – is five," the kunoichi said, almost in defeat. She stuffed a sour plum into her mouth if only to occupy her tongue.

"I see..." Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. Sasuke and Hinata occasionally touched, though they barely seemed to notice. Their arms would brush as they prodded their plates, and their chopsticks collided when they reached for each other's food. The two had a sort of..._balance _that Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke _shouldn't_ have had – unless, of course, they were something beyond what they suggested.

The jounin was surprised, but mostly just by the horridness of their discretion. Every time they caught stares, there was a pause – an unmistakable tension in the air, between their eyes, their lips; torrid emotions in their expirations – feelings Kakashi had never seen in either of their counterparts.

And then they would abruptly look away from each other.

Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata were something more than lovers. Something far more.

Kakashi decided to cut the small talk. "For you to come to this particular year, something significant must have happened – perhaps something vital to saving your time. Tell me what it is. Tell me who to protect."

Hinata looked down and Sasuke lowered his glass.

"Everyone."

* * *

The young Hinata arrived at team eight's meeting spot that morning, though she wanted nothing more than a good hiding place. She had somehow become Kasai's makeshift babysitter. The child followed her everywhere she went. Poor thing probably missed her mother.

And _she _– chosen as some sort of substitute?

Hinata almost laughed. _Her? _A mother? She couldn't imagine...

At the moment, Kasai grinned maniacally, barely restraining herself from hopping up and down.

"Otousan! Tousan! _Tousan!_" She tried to escape Hinata's grip.

The heiress blinked. What was _he _doing here? And her? _And him? _Her cheeks burned.

Kakashi's charges were tucked in a circle on the other side of the clearing while attempting to have a quiet argument (but failing). Hinata winced when she heard Haruno Sakura hiss her name. Luckily they hadn't noticed Kasai's calls.

The Hyuuga made her way to her own teammates. She took to covering Kasai's mouth, feeling rather like a hypocrite. Kiba and Shino were staring when she reached them. "Wh-where's Kurenai-san?" she asked. She'd never known her sensei to be late.

"Where were _you, _Hinata?" Kiba countered.

"Yesterday," Shino added, though he had turned away from her, examining an insect perched on his finger. "When you skipped training to be with-"

"_Him!" _Kiba snarled, pointing an accusing finger at team seven as though they were a sole, reprehensible, entity.

Hinata winced at Kiba's inevitable loudness. The members of team seven had noticed, and broken away from their embarrassing little huddle. Hinata's eyes caught Naruto's for a moment, and she noticed that his tan fists were knotted around Sasuke's collar.

Electric blue eyes narrowed.

"Tell me, tell me, _tell me teme!_" the blonde demanded, shaking his friend.

A surge of blood rushed to her cheeks.

"None of your business," Sasuke responded.

Someone grabbed her arm. The heiress glanced over her shoulder and at Shino, who had lost interest in the beetle. "Speak to us Hinata."

"_What the hell happened!" _said Kiba.

Kasai escaped and flew toward team seven. Sasuke gasped when she collided with his abdomen. Hinata's eyes met his, just for that instant, and the Hyuuga's blush intensified.

"I-I-I..."

There was too much going on. She felt herself being shaken by Kiba. Shino concocted a jar or green jelly, maybe some hypnotic drug or another.

"You _will _tell us the truth."

_Where was Kurenai-san again? _Her breathing grew shallow as she began to hyperventilate, and Hinata vaguely realized that her eyes had never left Sasuke's. Why were her friends cornering her? Why was _Sakura _sobbing into her backpack? "It's – it's-" What was she supposed to say? _The truth? _But that was...it was- "It's **private!**"

A number of birds vacated the surrounding trees. Kiba's lips parted, Shino's fists clenched, and Hinata _really wished _she hadn't said that.

"I'll kill him!"

She fainted.

* * *

Their meeting ended with Mirai Hinata pressing her lips against his masked cheek.

It felt odd...like she knew him better than he knew himself. He'd never liked that feeling. He had experienced it scarcely in his life.

"Goodbye Kakashi."

He felt slightly discomposed when she turned and joined her brooding lover up the road. They walked not toward the Hyuuga house, but the forest.

"Kakashi-_**sensei**__,_" the jounin corrected her, strolling off in the opposite direction before turning the corner and rounding back to the forest.

He stalked them as any assassin would. So, he was suspicious. He had every right to be.

Were they enemies? Were they friends? Why weren't they telling?

The two were preoccupied, most likely with each other, and didn't notice his advances as Naruto and Sakura had.

Perched on a high tree branch, he watched them walk home. He saw Sasuke wrap his arm around Hinata's shoulders then kiss her temple.

They were quiet, expressive, and...frustrating. He'd always had better luck reading Naruto, but his future counterpart was as difficult as Sasuke's. Not blatantly, but covertly so. He wore a mask. So did Sakura.

Sasuke and Hinata weren't ones for words, and were better understood through their actions. Kakashi couldn't decided who of the four was the most discreet, and more importantly – who had the most to hide.

Sighing, Kakashi scratched his head, finally acknowledging that he was in over his head and over two hours late to his team meeting. Raising his pointer and middle fingers, he disappeared in a poof of smoke.


	9. Chemistry

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 9**

"Back off, she has an anxiety problem," Kiba growled as everyone crowded around the fallen heiress.

"What should we do?" Naruto whispered to the medic among them.

"Why's everyone asking me?" Sakura said, examining her fingernails.

Kasai leaned down and kissed the girl's hand. When this produced no result, she went on to kiss Hinata's cheek, then forehead. As everyone stared at her, she explained, "It works when tousan does it."

_What? _thought Sasuke, as Kiba punched him in the stomach.

"Whenever tousan kisses my kaasan, she always wakes up!" Kasai elaborated.

Naruto pumped his fist into the air. "Dammit, _I'll _kiss her!"

The blonde was promptly knocked unconscious by a blow to the back of his head. Shino nonchalantly lowered his fists and tucked them back into his pockets.

"I see you started without me."

A poof of smoke signaled Kakashi's arrival. The jounin was hours late (as usual) but had shamelessly shown up anyway.

There was an uncomfortable silence as Kakashi examined the situation.

"Ojisan!" Kasai proclaimed.

"Niece?" Kakashi countered casually, kneeling down beside Hinata and pressing the pressure point at the end of her jaw line. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Sakura, will you please heal Naruto?"

"Um – sure." Sakura got to work on the lump at the base of her teammate's skull.

"Kurenai-sensei took a _sick day, _so team seven and eight will be training together this afternoon," Kakashi said, whipping out his trashy novel. "Being that you all are so eager to spar, I suppose I'll go along with it. Sakura will be matched with Kiba. Naruto and Shino can fight together. And Sasuke, I want you with _Hinata. _Hand to hand. _Strictly taijutsu."_

Hinata groggily sat up. _What was going on? _She'd spent the most uncomfortable two hours of her life waiting for Kurenai-san to appear, only for _Kakashi, _and to be matched against _Sasuke! _She felt her heart race and her breathing quicken.

"And Hinata, if you faint again, you _will _spend the rest of the day reading to me." Kakashi took a seat on a log at the edge of the clearing and patted the spot beside him.

Hinata climbed to her feet. "Hai."

It was a warm breezy day. The clearing was encased in trees. Naruto and Shino walked to the opposite side of the field. Between them and her Kiba and Sakura assumed fighting stances.

Biting her bottom lip Hinata turned to face her opponent.

She liked his counterpart better. Mirai Sasuke was cool, and _handsome – _she felt heat rise to her cheeks – she didn't _like_ him or anything. She just thought he was sort of...nice.

Unlike this one.

Uchiha Sasuke liked to expose himself.

This became quite evident when he pulled off his shirt.

His wristbands remained, if only for the important sake of style. Black pants were loose and brushed his ankles. His fingernails were gnarled, his teeth, perfect. His eyes, dangerous. Stature, intimidating.

Physique, breathtaking.

And her eyes drifted toward Naruto as she wondered whether _he'd _take his shirt off as well.

Sasuke glared at the girl's wandering eyes and impaired attention. He assumed a fighting stance. _I'd be matched better with Naruto, or Sakura, _he thought, annoyed.

Kasai had taken the empty seat beside Kakashi. She leaned over him to peer into his book. "Ooo, pictures!"

_How far should I go? _Sasuke wondered, circling the heiress. It _was _a spar, a _mismatched_ one at that. Was he expected to go easy on her? Was he expected _not _to?

He made the first move, spinning and aiming a kick at her abdomen. Hinata was smart enough to dodge – _barely._

Hinata retained a defensive stance. It soon became obvious that she wasn't going to make a move. Sasuke kicked off his sandals. He'd make her.

He aimed for her chest, and was surprised when she twisted his hand, redirecting it past her shoulder. He lost his balance and Hinata raised her palm, the byakugan activated.

And then she froze, as if abruptly recalling it was against the rules. Catching the girl's neck, he pulled her down with him.

Hinata grunted as the back of her head slammed against the earth. Sasuke leaned over her, his hand pressing her throat and pinning her to the grass. She fought for breath, the veins on her temples retracting.

"That's enough Sasuke," called Kakashi from a few yards away.

He released her, and she inhaled.

Gasping a few times, Hinata climbed to her feet. Kakashi had passed his novel to Kasai as he observed the sparring matches. The wide-eyed child was nose deep in literary porn.

The heiress shuddered.

"Let's go."

Nodding, Hinata turned back to Sasuke who had reinforced his stance. Behind him, Sakura kicked an unconscious Kiba in the ribs.

_Round two._

Her clothes were long and bulky. Hinata discarded her sandals then rolled her sleeves to her elbows and her pant legs to her knees. Sasuke had better grounding. She was not to be outdone.

The Uchiha didn't stall this time. He aimed the heel of his palm at her head, and she barely managed to catch it.

Their fingers, entangled, were raised above their heads. Sasuke watched her curiously as her free hand touched his chest.

Her eyelids lowered of their own accord. _He smells like bay rum...cedar wood...cool water..._

Sasuke's chest heaved when a jolt of chakra struck his heart. His eyes widened as he clutched his chest and he dropped to his knees.

_I cheated, _Hinata realized, quickly deactivating the byakugan.

"No ninjutsu," Kakashi called cheerfully.

_He's going to kill me, _Hinata thought, watching Sasuke drop to all fours and gasp for breath. He was surely going to kill her.

But not if _she _did it first.

Hinata, desperate, didn't consider how it could _possibly be rational_ to kick her foot in the air then aim her heel for the back of his neck while he was still down. Sasuke caught her leg without even looking.

"You're going to die," the Uchiha assured her, roughly twisting her ankle so she had to fall not to break it. Seizing a chunk of her – long – _silky – _hair, he took to – _repetitively –_ smashing her face into the grass.

Kakashi watched the spar with mild interest. _There it is, _he mused.

_Chemistry._

Hinata's muffled shrieks were rather disheartening.

_...or not..._

"Sasuke – _stop it_," he called, rattling his fist lazily.

To think, in only five years, they'd have a _child. _The jounin didn't understand. The two barely knew each other. They weren't compatible at all. He tilted his head to the side as Sasuke and Hinata reclaimed their fighting stances, both looking rather miffed. He was pleased to see that Hinata was fighting back.

But he was stunned by how truly _terrible _his students were at taijutsu. Shino had Naruto in a strangle hold, Kiba and Sakura had taken to screaming and chucking rocks at each other, and Sasuke and Hinata were _grappling._

Sasuke tried to ignore the fact that Hinata's hair was in his mouth. He tried to overlook the fact that her breasts were pressed to his arm and her back to his chest. They were skin to skin, body to body.

Did she realize her hitai-ate drew attention to her cleavage? Did she realize her cleavage was quite evident beyond that mesh? Did she realize how fucking _distracting _it was?

She broke out of his hold and his arms were suddenly quite empty. Her face was strong, determined. Her jaw was set, teeth clenched, and she had those _prying, _inquisitive eyes.

Her fingernails were smooth, subtly manicured – she had delicate, precise fingers. She was inferior, but careful, human, beautiful, delicate, _intricate._

She wore a thistle pullover – it complemented her hair, but mostly her eyes – with a white hood and sleeves, a zipper down the front-

That alluring, _alluring_, zipper.

He was fascinated by her. It wasn't unusual. She had soft features, large, innocent eyes – rather like Kasai's – and a curvaceous figure. He didn't mind being a little unorthodox. He didn't mind catching her in awkward holds.

So he was physically attracted to Hyuuga Hinata. Hyuuga Hinata was an attractive person.

_Who needs Icha Icha..._thought Kakashi, as he watched.

The others had taken to glancing at the pair whenever they could. Three clumsy spars became yet clumsier.

Hinata bent backwards to avoid Sasuke's latest strike, but rose just in time to catch another-

In the face.

She fell to the ground, watching the world darken and spin.

Sasuke's face appeared above her. She felt his knee press her abdomen as he grabbed her jacket and pulled her forward. They were eye to eye.

"What if this was _real_, Hyuuga? Just _what _would you do about it?" His nose brushed hers.

Kakashi coughed, _loudly_. "That's enough for today," he garbled.

She was released. Hinata winced when she fell back to the grass and held her head, wondering whether her brain wasn't bleeding. She was hefted to her feet – _prematurely_, she determined – by Kiba who was muttering obscenities, and Shino, who had a few anxious bugs crawling across his forehead.

"Just say the word," said Shino.

"I'll kill him!" said Kiba.

* * *

She twisted the dice around in her hand. It was a calming technique she'd picked up in the wind country. _They_ used marbles, not dice, but _still. _"What now?" she grumbled when she noticed her newest visitors.

"You're going to die."

She unintentionally dropped the dice.

A twelve.

"...what?"

"Your assassination, baa-chan." It was stated bluntly. "A week from today."

"Oh."

Oh, was all she could say. Oh. With a few stale words the moron had shortened her life. A few words had decided the fate of the last sannin – Konoha's Hokage. _What the hell was she doing, twisting dice? _"And my replacement?" Tsunade feigned curious apathy.

Mirai Naruto forced a grin. "Couldn't say."

Mirai Sakura stood in his shadow, her head bowed, not saying a word. She was accustomed to doing that, wasn't she? ...Like a protector. It was...unusual.

"Well," said Tsunade airily, straightening the pile of papers on her desk. "You just missed your friends..."

"Baa-chan-"

"Uzumaki," she cut him off. "Why the hell are you telling me this?"

The blonde's fists clenched. "Maybe I want to save you."

* * *

Kakashi strolled off, leaving her to fend for herself. Naruto and Sakura left shortly afterwards, offering only curious looks as parting.

Sasuke was at the edge of the clearing and yards away from the rest. He leaned upon a tree, as if he was waiting, his eyes closed in his leisure (or psychosis) and Kasai clutching his arm. The Uchiha was going to take the child whether or not Hinata followed.

_But..._

"Coming, Hinata?" Kiba asked, watching her with narrowed eyes.

"I...I..." She couldn't abandon Kasai. Not when Mirai Sasuke had entrusted her with his daughter. "I th-think I'll stay here, a-and practice a little longer." It was obvious she was lying, but they wouldn't challenge her.

They were her brothers.

Kiba grimaced and marched off. Shino adjusted his sunglasses.

"Be careful Hinata," he said, and followed Kiba.

Hinata sighed and rubbed her eyes, half-expecting them to be wet.

From behind a nearby tree, Naruto and Sakura watched Sasuke, Hinata, and Kasai head off together.

"Maybe he does like girls with long hair," Sakura mused, seizing a few leaves and tearing them to pieces.

"Maybe." Naruto shrugged, folding his arms behind his head.

Sakura sighed. Mirai Sakura looked beautiful with long hair falling down her back. Sakura idly fingered her own pink locks, which were beginning to brush her shoulders again. She grimaced. "But girls and kunoichi are two different things." She pulled out a kunai.

* * *

He'd obviously drawn as much information as he could from the child. Hinata didn't know why he continued the game.

They had reached the academy, that empty, darkening, classroom, and soon Sasuke was back to interrogating Kasai.

But...not really.

"Repeat after me."

He had an apple, and watching him eat it was the most interesting thing in the world for some reason.

"My name is Hyuuga Hinata," he said.

"My name is Hyuuga Hinata!" Kasai mimicked.

Hinata's cheek twitched. Did this have _anything _to do with _anything? _She blushed. "M-my – my n-n-name-"

Sasuke smirked. He was enjoying himself. "I'm trying to help you," he said.

"N-n-n-"

"I've heard you speak without stuttering. What's so different now?"

Perhaps it was his proximity – the fact that his face was inches from hers. Or maybe it was the way he gave her his undivided attention.

"Kasai stutters occasionally as well," he said thoughtfully, dropping his apple into the garbage bin beside the desk. "What are you always doing with Kasai?" he added, and withdrew his scrutiny, at least for the moment. Sasuke walked to the blackboard behind her and idly examined the scrawl.

Kasai threw her arms around Hinata's neck. "She's my best friend!" the child insisted.

The heiress' blush deepened. "I've b-b-been – w-watching her," she managed, unlatching Kasai's hands from her neck and setting the child on her lap. She took a deep breath. "For – her – father."

"Hn."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"You become a b-better person – in the f-future," Hinata said. "I think."

"Aa?" Sasuke didn't seem too interested, still eying Shikamaru's gruff handwriting.

She weakly nodded, and the silence returned, suffocating her. Kasai's eyelids were wavering. It was getting late.

And she was short one perfectly good diversion.

"So have you found your dream girl yet?" Hinata inquired before she could stop herself. She looked down at Kasai, urging the girl to stay awake. _It's probably Sakura-san... _she thought._ Or Ino..._

"I'm beginning to have my suspicions," said Sasuke. She felt his gaze on her head.


	10. Seven Days

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 10**

So, they all had their quirks. Hinata hyperventilated, but mostly buried her problems in more problems. Sasuke was a power-thief, a thief in the most literal sense. Her husband, an egomaniac, as well as a slave to his demon. And she...well, she still had multiple personality disorder.

Sometimes it felt more like a second soul.

Of course, she _knew_ it wasn't_. _At least, she pretended that she knew it wasn't. But she also knew – or _thought – _but _knew, _that it was all a lie. That the other was _real – _her secret friend and they'd always been together protecting each other.

And it was this unrelenting, _stupid_, determination – this utter refusal to acknowledge a chronic problem – that had always hindered the process of curing it. It was also what enabled her abilities.

It made her invulnerable to the Yamanaka mind assaults, or any officious mental influences for that matter.

Haruno Sakura could not be controlled.

So when she'd been drawn into that realm, her alter ego had been able to see through the guise. Inner Sakura had seen the pallid skin beyond the man's white clothing, and she'd seen the man in white snatch her child away from her.

But she'd get him back.

For Sakura.

* * *

Kakashi had figured them out. That much was obvious.

And if it was that easy for the unhinged jounin, how hard would it be for Neji, or Shikamaru – or the young Sasuke?

Mirai Sasuke grit his teeth. At the age of fifteen, he had been nothing short of psychotic. He'd been recovering from severe mental and physical trauma and was still learning to connect with Naruto and Sakura. He had been in _absolutely no condition _to pursue a relationship.

He released his wife's shoulders as they exited the woods.

If he wanted to preserve who he was in the future he had conceal their relationship. He had to disconnect himself from Hinata, at least until the mission was done with.

They entered the front gates of the Hyuuga compound and came face to face with the man they'd been avoiding for the past few days.

Hiashi met Mirai Hinata's eyes. Behind him his youngest daughter walked into him like a puzzled hatchling.

Mirai Hinata looked down. What with her husband's distaste of the Hyuuga tradition, and hers of her name, they'd made little effort to catch family meals.

"Otousan," she bowed her head, not knowing why.

Sasuke said nothing. His relationship with the man had never been anything polite.

"You've been living in this house and haven't bothered to formally introduce yourself," Hiashi stated. Hanabi peeked out from behind the man and watched her future sibling with curiosity.

"I feel we already know each other." Hinata did not raise her face in fear of producing a rude expression. "As for information concerning myself, or the future, I'm afraid I cannot disclos-"

"Are you strong?" Hiashi cut the small talk.

Sasuke was becoming impatient. "Yes," he answered for his wife, a habit of his that annoyed her.

Hinata smiled demurely at her feet.

Hiashi glanced at Sasuke, the Uchiha's clenched jaw and onyx eyes daring him to retort.

The Hyuuga head turned back to Hinata, as if dismissing Sasuke's remark as a minor intrusion. "Do you have any children?"

Hinata raised her head. Hanabi perked with interest.

"Is there an _heir _to the clan?" Hiashi stated harshly.

_An attempt to intimidate her_, Sasuke mused. At times in their marriage, only discussion of her father could trigger her stutter.

Hinata coolly responded, "Is that all I'm good for?"

"Unless you prove otherwise."

Sasuke's fingers compulsively twitched at the hilt of his sword.

_You have no idea what the future holds._

"I cannot disclose any information about me, beyond what you see, or presume," Hinata said, and continued walking. As she passed her father, she grasped his shoulder. "But I missed you, Otousan."

Sasuke followed her into the house.

* * *

"If you want to come in you'll have to lose the shirt, Uzumaki."

Mirai Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Right, right, _Uzumaki,_" he retorted, pulling off his jacket.

"_The mesh too."_

Eying the woman, Naruto pulled his mesh shirt off over his head. Sakura smiled impishly at his tan, muscular body. "What's this about?" questioned Naruto as Sakura allowed him to enter her room.

"I need to see this." she pointed at the ANBU insignia on his left shoulder. "Sasuke's being a prude."

Sasuke ignored her. He and Hinata stood in the corner of the room quietly discussing something Naruto couldn't catch.

"What's going on?" The blonde watched Hinata cut Sasuke off by abruptly turning away from him.

"I'm giving Hinata the tattoo."

Naruto blinked. "Oh," he said, trying not to seem amused as they approached the quarreling duo. "You have one Sakura. Why don't you just use yours as a reference?" He felt a little awkward being the only one without a shirt on and suspected it was a perverted conspiracy.

"I can't see my shoulder from a good angle." His wife poked him in the back of the head. Sakura had no qualms with her friend's request. Hinata had been offered an ANBU position on various occasions, but had opted to inherit the title of her family head.

Sasuke, however, was livid. He reached out to snatch his wife's turned arm, but Naruto obnoxiously squeezed himself between the pair. "Sorry we missed you," he said, slinging an arm around Sasuke's shoulders. "Baa-chan asked me to bring these for you guys." He held up his free hand, presenting a neat pile.

A decent enough diversion, Naruto hoped.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the blonde. "Thanks," he said, snatching the uniforms. He hesitated momentarily to eye the ANBU getup, when Sakura tore it from his hands.

"This is Hinata's," she said sweetly, before turning away and linking arms with his wife. "Ready?" Sakura tugged the Hyuuga to the other side of the room, where there were dyes, and _needles, _and other terrible tattoo-devising instruments.

Hinata pulled off her jacket revealing a dark formfitting tank top that left a sliver of her midriff exposed. She and Sakura took seats on the white carpeted floor, Naruto soon after joining them. The bed was unsteady and wouldn't suffice for Sakura's intricate task.

She began to meticulously stab Hinata in the shoulder.

Sasuke turned, feeling rather disgusted that his wife's skin would be marred on an impulse – an internal crisis Hinata couldn't otherwise deal with. He dropped to the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"_Hey! _Get your shoes off my sheets!"

He ignored the pink-haired Janus, gritting his teeth and attempting to tune out the stifled grunts.

**Baby.**

He imagined Hinata frown, or maybe bite her bottom lip. **Baka, **she responded.

**Is that the best you can come up with? After what – eight years?**

Hinata didn't respond but closed her eyes. The tattoo was necessary. She had lied to the Hokage by claiming she was in the ANBU division and if she didn't have the mark to prove it, Tsunade would withdraw her trust in her, perhaps all of them.

**Hinata...**

**Un?**

**You don't have to go through with this.**

"What happened to your neck?" Sakura interrupted them, touching the bandages that encircled Hinata's throat.

Hinata felt heat rise to her face. She jerked away without thinking, but luckily, Sakura had extracted the needle. "Ano – nothing – a training accident!"

Sasuke sat up.

Green eyes narrowed. "That's nothing to be embarrassed about," Sakura lowered the needle. "Let me have a look see-"

"No!" Hinata cried defensively.

The room fell silent. There was an offended air in which Sasuke sighed and Hinata received twin glowers of disapproval from the Uzumakis among them.

"Hinata-" Naruto started.

"I left marks there when we had sex last night," Sasuke intervened, his voice laced with annoyance. "Can you try _not_ to give her an anxiety attack – particularly while you're mangling her arm?"

Hinata remained silent, her flush deepening, and her expression indecipherable.

"Oh," said Sakura, blushing. She quickly went back to dabbing the Hyuuga's shoulder, not meeting her eyes.

"Sorry," mentioned Naruto, coughing and looking away.

Sasuke stood and approached the trio, all three who were blushing, Hinata who was sweating. He took a seat behind his wife, his back to hers, if only to correct her deteriorating posture. The back of her neck felt hot against his. **Breathe, **he told her, closing his eyes.

* * *

Upon completing her work Sakura had healed her shoulder. The curved red ANBU tattoo conflicted with her light skin.

They didn't discuss it. She didn't let him. Instead they stood in a heavy silence, broken not when he approached her, kissed the top of her head, or began unraveling the bandages around her neck.

He examined the bruises. He'd gotten carried away. "Sorry," he muttered as Hinata's arms encircled his torso.

"Hmm?"

She looked tired. He knew she hadn't been sleeping well, but what could he do? What could he say?

"About last night."

Hinata blinked and pulled away from him. She touched her chin, as though trying to articulate what she wanted to say.

"What I did to your neck," Sasuke said, watching her.

His wife turned away from him and stared at the opposite wall. "I..." she started.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows.

"I liked it."

His eyebrows didn't lower. He advanced, slipping his arms around her waist. Glancing over her shoulder he spotted a faint blush on her cheeks. "You're not lying..." he muttered.

Hinata nipped her bottom lip and looked up at him.

"Pervert," said Sasuke, kissing her again.

Hinata smiled against his lips. **I love you, **she said it without thinking, without needing to think. Sasuke's screams had liberated her from her own nightmares. For that, she was grateful. She'd _never_ had the dreams when Sasuke was beside her. She never woke up wheezing, or crying, or fighting her sheets.

Sasuke pulled away from her, a smirk crossing his face. "I love you too," he mentioned. "Now take your clothes off."

But she was far more interested in his, in touching his chest, in wrenching up his shirt, and feeling his muscles shift beneath her fingers. Sasuke unbuttoned her pants, and they fell around her ankles, leaving dark panties and long legs.

_**Nice**_** legs.**

She gasped playfully when he picked her up. He walked to the bed and dropped her to the mattress, pausing to observe the way the tattoo complimented her lips.

Hinata gave him her worst glare – and she wasn't even good at glaring. Sasuke climbed over her. She latched to his chest, kissing.

_Desperately_, kissing.

"No."

She panted when Sasuke pulled back, evocative eyes scrutinizing hers. She brushed strands of hair away from his face, to better see those eyes, when Sasuke pulled completely away.

He dropped himself to the mattress beside her, his half-lidded gaze resting on the ceiling. He bit the inside of his cheek as Hinata leaned over him. "Why are you trying to seduce me?" Their lips met, and there was a considerable pause.

"Do I have to try?"

His dubiousness was fleeting, it _would _be, Hinata decided, straddling his waist and unbuttoning his pants. She kissed down his jaw line, then his neck, where she knew he was sensitive. She carefully found the hollow at the center of his collarbone, and her tongue traced the spot then her teeth grazed it.

"I – have to leave," her husband said. Though he had been relieved for air, he found it difficult to breathe.

"No you don't," Hinata returned, pulling back to glare at him. She slipped off her tank top causing his eyes to become fixated on her heaving chest and lean body. She began to unclasp her bra.

"Kakashi knows," he said.

Hinata faltered. _What?_

"Kakashi knows," Sasuke repeated, sitting up. She climbed off him. "Soon Neji will probably figure it out – and everyone else."

"Sasu..." she wanted him to stop. She wanted to breathe, just for that night.

"Your counterpart will find out and hide away – _like you always did_."

She turned away to hide her helplessness. "You're being obsessive," she said hoarsely.

"You're being careless," Sasuke said back, standing and recovering his shirt from the ground. "Find yourself another distraction, little mouse."

Mouse. A reference to her ANBU mask.

"It's a rat."

"I say it's a mouse."

Her cheeks burned in indignation. He was calling her weak, but hadn't _he _been weak the previous night? Hadn't _he _needed _her?_ It wasn't fair! It wasn't. "Sasuke."

It was her turn to need him.

"Stay," her voice became weak, desperate. "Stay with m-me?"

_A tremor?_ thought Sasuke as he pulled his shirt on. He didn't look at her again. He didn't want to meet her eyes.

She sat on her heels and stared at her lap, eyes burning with tears. "I never had the nightmares when you were with me."

Sasuke walked to the door. "I know," he said. His fingers enclosed the knob.

"Not then. Not now." Hinata sniffed, impatiently wiping her face on her arm.

"I know, Hinata." He grit his teeth in frustration.

"Stay...stay with me tonight."

His wife was requesting a temporary solution, but he would not submit...he couldn't allow himself to.

"I can't sleep." Her voice had become high and frantic. "I won't. Not when I'm _there_, _every time I close my eyes."_

Sasuke finally turned to face her. Hinata had buried her face in her hands, her hair splayed around her shoulders. She had on only a bra and panties. Black, like her hair, his eyes, and their world. She still wore the mesh bands that had been under her clothes, the fishnet material around her knees and elbows.

Sasuke felt his legs carry him back to the bed. He took a seat beside his wife and watched her. "Look into my eyes," he instructed.

Her hands lowered, revealing the raw skin on her cheeks. She lifted her head and reached up to rest her hands on either side of his face. She didn't know what he planned to do, or that she would be met with the sharingan.

"Close your eyes."

She complied, but not of her free will. Her body fell, but Sasuke caught it, her head rolling listlessly to the side. He lowered her to the mattress. "This should offer you a deep sleep. Perhaps you won't have any dreams tonight."

* * *

The fifteen-year-old Hinata entered the house quietly that evening so not to awake anyone. It was late, but not extremely. There was still over an hour until midnight. She had sufficient time to slip Kasai into bed then reach her own without alerting the guards of her late night wandering – that was assuming she could figure out which bedroom _was_ Kasai's. The heiress sighed.

She hadn't meant to be out so late. The young Sasuke had given her no choice. The Uchiha was very odd...but not in a frightening way. Not anymore. She wondered why Mirai Sasuke had told her to stay away from him.

Standing alone in the guest wing with the child in her arms, Hinata tried to contemplate her best option when someone slipped out of a room down the hall. It was Mirai Sasuke.

She felt herself smile and didn't know why. She smiled, not knowing she would end up hating him when the night was over.

_Lucky_, she decided.

She was lucky. She didn't have to endure the awkwardness of waking someone up. And lucky, because of the kind way he regarded her.

Mirai Sasuke's eyes weren't kind right then. They were narrowed; _angry_.

"What were you doing out so late?" he said, taking his daughter and propping her on his back. Kasai continued to sleep, wrapping her arms around his neck, and murmuring her name for him into his shoulder.

Hinata bowed her head in comprehension. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to have Kasai out so late. I lost track of time-"

"What were you doing, Hinata_?_" He repeated the question.

The familiarity in his address; that same over-emphasis on the first part of her name. He didn't seem concerned about Kasai – or maybe he just wanted to know what they'd been doing. "I was p-practicing."

He moved closer, and she unconsciously moved back. "No. You weren't."

How could he tell? She flushed. "K-Kasai-"

"I'm not talking about Kasai."

He wasn't complaining about the fact that she hadn't returned Kasai at an earlier hour, he was talking about _her, _disputing what _she _did with her evenings. Hinata was stunned. Since when did he care? Since when did anyone care? Not even her father questioned her whereabouts. What say did Uchiha Sasuke have in her life?

"I-" She wanted to agree that she was wrong, or simply to opt out of the confrontation. She was confused more than anything else. He made her feel guilty, ashamed; embarrassed.

But her bit resolve – the resolve that allowed her to love her sister, defy her father, and pursue a career as a ninja – it made her angry. It made her question...

Who was Uchiha Sasuke to judge her?

"I was training," she repeated. "With Kiba and Shino."

Sasuke's eyes became angrier. He had utter confidence that she was lying, and she didn't realize how she pressed her pointer fingers together.

"Kasai can protect you as long as she can stay conscious."

Kasai – protect _her? _He was insinuating she was weak. That Kasai was strong.

That she wasn't the child's babysitter after all.

"You never stay out after dark, that's who you are. _Afraid_ of the dark."

Hinata took another step back. "I d-don't – understand."

"You're being inconsistent with the timeline. More reckless than before." He shouldn't have told her, he'd realize, a moment later. It was selfish to tell her, and it would be selfish to protect her. "You're going to be raped in a week from today."

It was at midnight that Mirai Naruto slipped out of the house, weary of his dreams of the future.

It was at midnight that Mirai Sakura's hair became short again for no reason.

At midnight Mirai Hinata turned in her sleep.

In her dreams, she was tortured, again and again.


	11. Inner Sakura

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 11**

Mirai Hinata could not define torture.

She was being selfish, and both of them knew it.

Mirai Sasuke lowered himself to a corner of the darkening hall. Knees were drawn, head lowered, a motionless figure hidden by the night.

The young Hinata-

She made his heart wrench.

* * *

The room was dark and shadowy, the sky and the moon casting blue and silver hues over each white surface. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound, nothing blinked, or thought, not until the clock struck midnight, and a young girl's chest tightened.

_Six days, _mused Hinata. _Six days._

The fifteen-year-old kunoichi wrapped her arms around her pillow and sunk deeper into the sheets, throwing another glance at the clock. Midnight.

Midnight.

Six days now.

_You're going to be raped in a week,_ he'd said.

Following his statement Mirai Sasuke's eyes had briefly widened, as though he'd never meant to tell her. He'd then cast her a hard stare before turning and walking away.

"...what?"

The future Sasuke who had been kind and patient was suddenly cold and detached. He was no different from the other.

"What?" she repeated, though she knew what he had said. She needed confirmation – she needed information. She needed to know how to protect herself. She needed _someone _to care to save her.

She was going to be raped? She was going to be _raped! _How did _he _know? Did the others know? And Mirai Hinata – her future self – why hadn't she spoken to her? Wasn't she going to change things? Wasn't anyone going to do anything about it?

_What if I stay home? _she asked herself.

_You don't know where it happens, _another's voice returned. Mirai Sasuke's voice, taunting her.

_What if I'm never alone?_

_You're __**always **__alone._

And then she was hit with a question. Who was it? Did she know the person? Would it be a stranger? Which would be worse?

Hinata sat up. She couldn't sleep, not after what she'd learned. Every shadow seemed to be watching her. She climbed out of bed, still fully dressed. She slipped through the door. Hanabi slept just across the hall.

* * *

There were no guards on the roof. He saw everyone who came and went.

The moon was out and he bathed in its light, sprawled across the roof, his left arm folded behind his head. The right was risen, fingers twisting through the cool air.

The man was still pretty enough to draw birds near, and quick enough to snatch their clawed feet. He held one tightly in his fist watching it writhe for escape. He broke its neck then bit its abdomen. Its guts snapped as he pulled away, shining blood dripping from his chin.

Kyuubi was getting to him. He allowed it.

Someone dropped beside him. Sakura broke a tile free with a flick of her foot, then spat a few obscenities up at the sky.

Naruto glanced at her as she plopped down beside him. He threw the bird's carcass aside, though his hands and clothes were covered in its blood.

Sakura wore blood as well, though it was hers. Her hair was stained with blackened splotches, and he curiously watched it roll down the side of her head.

"What happened?" said the blonde, trying not to lick the blood on his lips – or her face for that matter. Kyuubi and Inner Sakura didn't make a constructive alliance. He realized it wasn't particularly smart to be conversing with his wife's alter ego, but he was curious of what had triggered the episode. He eyed her sizable injury. "What the hell did you do to yourself?"

She huffed, "Sasuke hit me."

Naruto blinked, more interested than concerned. "Why?"

Sakura rubbed her head and glared at him, her vision impaired by dark blotches. "Every time I see that girl, I just want to kill her," she growled. "Sasuke doesn't understand." She began to heal her wound with her hands.

Naruto frowned. "You have to have better self-control than that. At least wait until Sasuke _isn't _around." He glanced again at the sky. "Ne, that's a good idea, isn't it? We could just blame you." His lip twitched. "We could blame your mental illness."

Kyuubi was definitely getting to him.

He turned back to the glaring pink-haired woman. "You're not angry at me, are you? What happened to your hair?" He changed the subject, playfully reaching for the shortened locks.

The woman jerked away from him. "I don't _know. _I didn't do it."

_I doubt that._

"I wouldn't even _be here _if Sakura hadn't gotten herself knocked out."

Naruto pulled back. Alter egos didn't manifest due to injury. They appeared to protect the host, particularly when dealing with psychological trauma.

More importantly, they dealt with confrontation when the sufferer _couldn't._

Resigned, he turned away from her. He had long given up on helping her. His eyes lowered, the moonlight making his iris' small disks of silver. "You have shit self-control Sakura-chan," he said, inhaling then expiring. "Ano...what _is_ your name?" he added.

He shouldn't have encouraged his wife's alternate personality to develop a name. He realized the stupidity of his inquiry a moment too late.

"I'm just inner Sakura."

_Good answer._

She finished healing her skull then gave him an emotionless stare. She was dressed in a red nightgown that looked more like lingerie than sleepwear. It had a deep V neckline, spaghetti straps, and a hem that reached her thigh. He was perturbed that her hair had been cut short. He'd always liked it long.

"So you know everything?" Naruto asked, standing and stretching his arms in the air. He removed his jacket and offered it to her. Inner Sakura did not reciprocate.

_Stupid affection._ Naruto shrugged, and allowed the jacket to drop.

"I know a few things," she said. "The things Sakura doesn't know." She broke another painted tile from the beautiful rooftop then crumbled it in her fist. "Like how that man took our child. What are we going to do about it?"

Naruto cast her a wave and leapt from the roof. He wouldn't acknowledge the validity of her statement, not when the personalities were fluctuating, and _his _Sakura was so close. She would be broken. _We're going to save thousands._

* * *

He climbed into bed, his limbs collapsing beneath him. Sasuke rolled onto his back. He hadn't gotten any sleep that night. From saying _shit _he _shouldn't _have said, to sensing the independent movement of four different chakras – feeling Sakura's grow and spike erratically – he was being appropriately punished for his blunder.

No one had gotten any sleep that night.

His katana had been thrown unceremoniously across the bureau. The blade was sheathed but the hilt was bloody.

If Sakura's dry claim that he'd "hit her" was somehow equivalent to him striking her in the back of the skull with his katana, then she was accurate.

He'd hit her hard enough to knock her out. Hard enough to make sure she stayed unconscious.

But she had a hard fucking head.

His bedroom door was suddenly thrown open and someone walked into the room, but he didn't bother to open his eyes. Gloved hands encircled his neck. _"Teme."_

He lifted his eyelids. She could have closed the door. If someone walked by, they'd spot their curious position. The Uchiha grit his teeth. "You panicked."

Sakura's hold on his neck tightened. "I was rational. I was lucid. I had control-"

"You panicked."

She became silent, biting hard on her mouth.

Sasuke took hold of the hands encircling his throat. "You're scared like everyone else," he said. "I'm your brother, Sakura...but when you panic, you get in my way. You risk my mission. Don't do it again."

Watching him, Sakura pulled her hands free and turned away from him. "You insist on postponing the inevitable," she said, folding her arms across her chest.

So she was finally admitting her intentions – her's and Naruto's. He closed his eyes again, feigning disinterest. "No one is going to die."

**It's three against one then, isn't it?**

He didn't respond.

"What the hell did you do to my hair?" Sakura added, pulling her fingers through the shortened locks.

Sasuke snatched his sheets as the first wisps of sunlight splattered his face. "I carried you to your room. What happened after that is not my concern."

* * *

Later that day, Nara Shikamaru snorted slightly as he regained consciousness. "Good job," he drawled to the expectantly waiting five-year-old who had performed a passable cartwheel ten minutes prior.

Sighing, the child returned to his seat.

Shikamaru turned back to his desk and unproductively shuffled papers around. It was the most awkward thing in the world to teach five-year-olds how to kill each other. He'd opted to stick with the ABCs. What was the worst Tsunade could do about it? _Fire _him? If only life was so easy.

Lowering the sheets, he glanced at his newest addition. The infamous Uchiha Kasai. "Your turn," he droned.

The child's eyes widened, as though she was utterly shocked she had been called on, before she ran to the center of the classroom. She did a cartwheel, and then another. She then attempted a flip, and failed, so settled on setting Hitami's juice box on fire, with the sheer power of cuteness, it seemed, because her hands had executed no technique.

Shikamaru climbed under his desk, crumbling under the pressure of crying children. Coincidentally enough, he caught another quick nap.

* * *

She'd slept in her sister's bed that night, fighting over sheets just as they'd done as kids. Hanabi hadn't asked what prompted the visit, but mumbled a groggy greeting before turning back to her pillow.

They ended up wrapped around each other throughout the night. Hanabi had to struggle for freedom just to go to the bathroom.

Hinata hadn't wanted to go training, let alone leave Hanabi's arms, or that small bedroom, with the teddy bears, and plastic flowers, and that weird cut-out yearbook picture of Udon. She didn't want to do anything anymore, but die, and live – or just run away. How could she live after being raped? Was there even such a thing?

Kasai hadn't been around that morning like usual, attached to her hand, like a leech for affection. Hinata had grown accustomed to the child's presence, and felt ill, but left for her team's meeting. Perhaps Kasai's absence was a warning of sorts.

Go. Train. Come Home.

But Kasai, her protector? It didn't seem logical.

And why did Mirai Sasuke care? Why had he taken it upon his child to serve that duty? Why _didn't_ Mirai Hinata seem to care? Why couldn't she ever seem to find her – to catch those stony eyes of her future counterpart's?

What would she say?

The young heiress sat on her heels, panting. Team eight's training session had come to an end.

"Now that you three are chunnin, you will start taking missions without me," her sensei told them. "And I will be participating in less of your training sessions."

Hinata frowned. Then it would just be her, Kiba, and Shino, for the most part.

She dropped to her back and stared at the setting sun. Shino was getting up from the ground as Kiba bandaged a sprained knee.

Kurenai smiled at her disgruntled students, but nothing was said. The evening was chill, the sky beautiful, and Hinata loved what she had. She would cherish these moments-

"Eugh – _teme!"_

She blinked. That had been Naruto's voice. Hinata raised her head just enough to see Naruto stalk through the forest, Sasuke walking behind with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Dobe," Sasuke countered indifferently. His eyes weren't even open but he seemed to know where he was going. "It's just a little bet."

"No ramen for a week? I'd like to see _you_ live _on_ ramen for a week."

The Uchiha's eyebrows raised. "Fine."

"Fine!"

Someone released an exasperated sigh, and Sakura plowed out of the woods behind them, carrying a rather large piece of chopped wood. Naruto and Sasuke began to walk slightly faster.

It appeared that Sakura had cut her hair – and messily. It was many inches shorter than it had been the previous day, the uneven locks no longer even touching her shoulders. The kunochi had started growing it long again, but it seemed she had changed her mind.

The trio walked by, oblivious of the spectators. Hinata felt her cheeks grow warm, and she couldn't determine whether it was from the mesh Naruto wore in place of a shirt, or the fact that Sasuke had opted to ignore her for once.

They didn't look as though they'd been training, but were clean, composed, and weren't carrying any weapons. As quickly as they had come, they disappeared into the brush, and Hinata's heart rate slowly evened out.

"We should head back as well," Kurenai said.

Hinata stood. She wished she could confide in her sensei – in anyone – but if she said it aloud it would become all the more real. All the more terrifying, and all the more excruciating. Perhaps she would tell her. Perhaps Kurenai could offer her support and protection. Hinata opened her mouth, but words refused to come.

Didn't they notice that her cheeks were raw, the way her hands trembled, and chest heaved? She felt dizzy, and nauseous still, adrenaline all that kept her standing.

Her and her teammates made their way back to the village, parting ways at the fork outside of the woods. Kiba must have noticed her discomposure, because he offered to walk her home. She refused.

She didn't know why.

_I'm stubborn, _Hinata told herself, as she walked through the village. It was still early. Plenty of other ninja were roaming the streets. Why was her chest tight, then? Why did she feel so weak – frightened-?

"Hinata."

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the masculine voice. Unconsciously hugging herself, Hinata looked up at the person blocking her path. "S-Sasuke-kun." The sun was almost completely gone by then. Naruto and Sakura were nowhere in sight.

"Where's Kasai?" he said, ignoring the way her eyes flitted to the ground.

Hinata bit the inside of her cheek. "I'm n-not watching her any m-more," she managed.

"Oh."

There was a moment of silence in which they finally met eyes. The shadows of the surrounding buildings made Sasuke's features seem not harsh, but passive. As he moved forward, she realized it wasn't just a trick of the darkness. Why was he so close to her again? Why was the tip of his nose just short of brushing hers? Rough edges were worn in those shadows. His onyx eyes held hers, hypnotized.

"Let's go."

She awoke from her stupor, only because he looked away. "W-where?"

"Where do you think? The academy."

She didn't understand. What did he want with her? Kasai wasn't present. The heiress took an unconscious step backwards. "N-no." What was he to gain from being alone with her? What were his intensions? "No!" Hinata didn't notice the way her voice cracked or her eyes spilled with tears. She turned to leave – to run home as fast as she could, when he caught her hand.

"Stay."

* * *

She didn't allow him to hold her that night, but pushed him away. "How was Kasai's first day?" she asked with an artificial smile.

She grew weary of putting up with Sasuke's selfishness, but mostly of pretending her daughter wasn't her daughter while simultaneously trying to hide who she was, because...she hated who she was, and in six days she would see just why. The stress ate at her, piece by piece.

"Fine," Mirai Sasuke said, eying her. He took a seat on his bed holding his head. After a moment, he dropped to his side and covered his face with a pillow. He was wallowing about something. It was becoming his MO.

Mirai Hinata turned to the door, long hair swaying behind her. "Goodnight," she said, releasing a yawn to hide the nature of her breathing. She was always apprehensive of going to bed. Anxious of closing her eyes.

She opened the door when her husband muttered, hoarsely, "Hinata..."

**Un?**

"Stay with me."

A breathy order. Hinata froze in place.

"Okay," the Hyuuga said, closing the door. She turned back to Sasuke, who was still attempting to suffocate himself.

He was out of sorts. He needed _her._

He was a selfish man.

Taking a deep breath, the kunoichi climbed onto the bed, stole his pillow, and kissed his ear. Sasuke held her tightly, and she became still, curious but secure in his hold.

She kissed him again and wished him a good night.


	12. His Shackles

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 12**

Uchiha Sasuke, at fifteen, conquered something he had never before confronted or deliberated.

He had grabbed a girl, and with no motive but to _grab _her-

_Hand._

It was still a feat, he realized, as his palms grew sweaty. "Stay."

He didn't like girls, and hadn't the patience to acknowledge, communicate with, or deal with them. Girls were not only annoying, they were awkward _awkward _creatures, with feminine _emotions, _and _problems, _and their anatomy was confusing, distracting – nerve-racking. It should have been easy – quite _simple _– to co-exist with the fairer gender, but it just _wasn't_, not for the socially-retarded, emotionally-stunted, Uchiha Sasuke. Not when they stood in his every path.

Perhaps it was his turn to take charge.

He didn't understand Hinata's reaction; to close her eyes, to shake her head – to cry. Why wasn't she like the others? He pulled her closer, hearing himself utter, "What's wrong?"

They knew each other – they'd spoken on a number of occasions, about things like futures, and sex, and children. What was different now? Why was she treating him like a stranger, or a predator? Didn't she know? She _had _to know.

It was obvious that his original intentions had been, exclusively, to understand Kasai. He'd taken advantage of Hinata's position as the girl's babysitter for the purpose of getting to know his future daughter better.

Now he wanted to know her mother.

It had become obvious that Hinata was Kasai's future mother. He didn't know why – it just was!

He tried to articulate this – to make her understand – and parted his lips, but then Hinata's struggles became just short of fierce. He grit his teeth and grabbed her shoulders, _hard. _The heiress responded by scratching his face.

Her fingernails were sharper than they looked, and left red marks across his cheek. Her lack of composure disgusted him, as did the simplicity of her attack.

He looked up, holding his face, and his eyes met white ones laced with shock. Fear.

Unadulterated terror.

As the kunoichi disappeared to the rooftops, Sasuke bit his mouth and hissed a curse.

* * *

Hinata was raped, and it had completely distorted her personality. She had developed a stronger side, one that had snuffed out the weak one.

A curtain of raven hair was pulled back and tied into a ponytail behind her. It brushed the small of her back and the cleft of her spine. She pulled on black slacks then a sleeveless black turtleneck. Long black gloves were next, gloves that passed her elbows and ended just below the tattoo on her shoulder. Through his fatigue, and a few lingering dreams, Mirai Sasuke realized she was dressing in her ANBU getup.

"When will you be back?" he said, sitting up. He winced into the sunlight that showered the room.

Hinata's chest armor was next, light, and armguards that accompanied it, ideal for blocking kunai, sharp weapons, and potent attacks.

"In five days," she said.

She sheathed a ninjato behind her right shoulder, one that, Sasuke knew, she _wasn't _trained to use. His eyes narrowed, but he maintained an impassive façade. "Just in time, then," he said.

Hinata kneeled down to bandage her shins. "What are you insinuating?"

"You're in a bad mental state."

He was ignored as his wife continued to weave the black binding.

Sasuke clenched his fists. "Che, you shouldn't-"

"What are you doing today?" Hinata interrupted. She finished her work and looked up at him, wearing another of those fallacious smiles.

Sasuke's jaw tightened, his fists clenching in the sheets, but he managed to relax his hands and pull the covers off him. "I'm going to the academy," he said, standing. Abused joints ached as he stretched each one of them. "I'm meeting my new subordinates."

From the corner of his eye, he watched Hinata's widen. She quickly concealed any reaction and fastened her rat-mask over her face.

It lingered though, in her tense hands.

"Have fun with your assassination," Sasuke said as he left the room.

* * *

She wore a red cotton dress with straps and a hem that reached her knees. There was a weapons holster strapped to her thigh, and her black gloves were in place, though Naruto couldn't figure out why. Mirai Sakura sat high in a tree branch beside her orange-clad husband, the two watching their counterparts trip over their own feet.

"Aren't they supposed to be..._sparring?" _she said, her head cocked to the side.

"I think they _are _sparring," Mirai Naruto said, his lips twitching as he tried to contain his amusement. All six of the chunnin were completely discomposed, particularly the young Hinata, who had again been matched against the young Sasuke.

"They're a little distracted," Kakashi admitted.

Neither Naruto nor Sakura looked up, unfazed that Kakashi had intruded the conversation. He was suddenly perched in a branch opposite of theirs, the tree trunk hiding him from view. "Their obsessions with _you _and your comrades seem to bar any hopes of concentration."

Naruto picked his teeth and didn't respond. Sakura rested her head against his shoulder.

"Tell me about the Uchiha girl," Kakashi said.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Is that the only thing that tempts your interest?"

Kakashi stared down at the grass, and upon his struggling students. "Kasai seems...off. Just...completely _off._"

"She's a normal little girl," Naruto said, watching his young self walk into a tree. "Ano...Hinata likes dogs, and Sasuke likes cats. Kasai was a...compromise."

His grunt of pain signaled the collision of Sakura's foot with his knee. Kakashi couldn't help but to chuckle. "So I guess I'm not getting information out of you?"

"You are correct," Sakura said, giving her husband a glare. She climbed to a standing position, and continued to look down at their young counterparts, disappointed that they still hadn't noticed their presence. The young Sasuke and Hinata on the other hand...the doujutsu users were staring directly at them, their heads tilted, eyes narrowed. Sakura flashed them one of her endearing smiles, and the odd looks intensified. "These kids are pathetic, Uzumaki," Mirai Sakura said. "They make me want to spar."

Naruto blinked, then smirked. "If it's all right with Kakashi-sensei?" He glanced toward the man in question, his only visible body part being a tuft of gray hair.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "By all means-"

Mirai Naruto yelped as he was kicked out of the tree, falling twenty feet to the ground on his stomach. He slowly turned onto his back, three pairs of shocked teenagers standing around him.

Kakashi scratched his cheek. "Um...Sakura...don't you think that was a little too-?"

Mirai Sakura leapt from the tree, heel first, and her husband barely managed to roll out of her way. The earth cracked where she landed, dust clouds slowly encasing the clearing. She surveyed the area in search of her fleeing husband, and her jade eyes met with those of her stunned counterpart's.

The young Sakura's hair had been cut as well. How...odd.

A clean chop struck the back of Mirai Sakura's neck causing her head to spasm violently backwards. Her surroundings briefly turned black, and her legs bucked beneath her. "Eugh..."

Mirai Naruto's fox grin was in full force. "You're still conscious. I'm impressed." He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her knees, the blade of a kunai caressing her jugular.

"I will break your nose," Mirai Sakura threatened.

"Don't get me excited," her husband returned.

The fifteen-year-old Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, Kiba, Hinata, and Shino had retreated to the outskirts of the clearing.

"Why are they fighting?" Naruto said, staring in shock as Mirai Sakura impaled his future self with her fist. He sighed in relief when his counterpart disappeared in a poof of smoke. _Of course, just a clone. _He chuckled nervously.

"I don't know," Sakura whispered, staring wide-eyed.

"That woman's a monster," said Sasuke, and their group fell into silence.

No one disagreed.

"It's kinda hot..." Kiba said, only to be backhanded, and stomped to death by Sakura and Naruto.

The Uchiha bit the inside of his cheek.

It _was._

Mirai Sakura was no girl. Despite her gentle features, she definitely _wasn't_ a girl, she was a kunoichi, and a vicious one at that.

The woman seemed to hold dominance all throughout the fight. Twice, she had caught Naruto in a hold that would readily break his neck, had she the intention or the incentive.

Sasuke watched the spar with compulsive interest. Maybe...

Maybe he had been wrong about Hyuuga Hinata.

When the swirling wisps of rasengan appeared in Mirai Naruto's palm, the six young spectators took to the trees.

* * *

He had plans to change the day that everything went wrong – the day that would trigger Konoha's destruction ten years later. He was concerned for his wife, but her fate was not among his priorities, and he could do _nothing_ but be concerned, so he turned his focus to his plans.

He would have one day. One chance. Nothing could go wrong.

_In five days, _Mirai Sasuke mused, and entered the crowded room.

Though they weren't due to convene with the new genin for another week, Tsunade had wanted to sort them in advance, weary of everyone's squabbling for Udon.

He hadn't worn the jounin vest since he was seventeen. He probably hadn't been in the academy since before then.

If felt odd to stand among people like Hana and Neji, pretending to be something he was not.

He did enjoy shoving past the others, taking particular care to elbow Neji in the ribs.

He needed first pick.

The Hokage had to stop him from seizing the crystal ball. He peered into it, furrowing his eyebrows. "What's _she_ doing here?" he said. He stared at the child in the front of the classroom, doing handstands and cartwheels as her classmates cooed and applauded. A genin class was no place for toddlers.

"Nara informs me she's a danger to the other five-year-olds."

"Hn." Sasuke grit his teeth, but quickly turned back to the matter at hand. "I want her, and _her_. Fill in the last spot with your top student."

As the surrounding jounin yowled in indignation, a twitch developed upon Tsunade's eyebrow. "Konoha is severely short on women. Surely you cannot expect to have two of them. Furthermore, these teams require _balance; _you can't simply take whoever you want."

Mirai Sasuke glanced at the others, all who were sending him death-glares. Veins were developing upon Neji's temples. The Uchiha returned his attention to the Hokage. "Konoha is short on kunoichi only because they're all weak or dead – underestimated and under-trained. They're taught to hide behind their male teammates. I'll make these two strong, and you know I'll protect them. Additionally, these two are violent – menaces to any other potential teammates. I think keeping them together should nicely balance things."

As Tsunade stared at him, slack-jawed, Sasuke glanced back into the crystal ball, noticing that Kasai's latest cartwheel had connected her head with a wall. "I have to go."

* * *

The young Hinata didn't know when training had officially ended, but had decided to excuse herself after the third time she'd watched Mirai Sakura rip Mirai Naruto's arm off (before it had, yet again, disappeared into a poof of smoke).

She'd made it home before sunset. She'd made it home before Sasuke could get to her, though he himself had been absorbed in the fight.

As soon as Hinata's bedroom door closed behind her, she sunk to the floor. With each passing night, her anxiety escalated, yet everything seemed to make more and more sense. She drew her knees and hugged them to her chest.

Mirai Sasuke had once instructed her to stay away from his young self. She remembered it clearly. But why would he warn her of his past self? Why wasn't he dead, or imprisoned, or just far away from her? How could Mirai Hinata breathe every day, treating such a man as her comrade?

The heiress squeezed her eyes closed. She would stay away from him. Both of them.

Uchiha Sasuke's power-hunger _defined_ him. Kasai was like a new technique. Her creation was his task, and he would fight to succeed. He would do it – he would _hurt her, _only because he suspected she was Kasai's mother.

Hinata knew that she wasn't.

Otherwise Kasai would recognize her as her mother just as she recognized Sasuke as her father. She doubted the child's mother slouched, or stuttered, blushed, fainted, or fidgeted. The child's mother was probably strong, like Kasai was. _Amazing _– like Kasai was.

Hinata rose, her legs trembling beneath her. She grabbed her pillow and headed to her sister's bedroom.

She had utter confidence that Sasuke was her rapist.

And she would hate him forever.

* * *

Mirai Sasuke exited his daughter's bedroom, surprised to spot his wife in the corridor. Her mask hung from her belt, her hair loose, and her eyes downcast.

"You're back," he said, approaching. He pulled some of her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"I am," said Mirai Hinata, weary eyes reluctantly meeting with his.

"You dropped the mission?"

"I already completed it."

A few moments passed as he watched her in silence, before Sasuke lowered his hand.

A whispered goodnight, and the two walked by each other, as though they weren't spouses, or lovers – not anything of the sort.

Hinata entered Kasai's bedroom. She pulled off her chest plate, armguards and weapons holsters, before climbing into the bed and pulling her daughter close.

It was at midnight that Kasai ceased to exist.

**Part 2**

It was at midnight that Mirai Naruto awoke and realized that every night, at midnight, he had dreams of the future.

Things had changed.

And _he..._he had changed.

Slightly...subtly...

He stared at his hands in search of his favorite scars.

* * *

It was dark, the streetlamps were out, and the withered moon was their sole source of light. It was a time of night Hyuuga Hinata wouldn't approach, because she was _frightened_, and knew not how to confront her problems. She ran away from them.

"I'm tired of being matched with someone weak," the young Sasuke said.

The forest was pitch-black, but neither of them were afraid of the dark.

He assumed a fighting stance and Sakura followed.

"Let's go."

* * *

Perhaps it was the young Hinata's vow to hate Sasuke forever, the fact that she relentlessly pushed him away, or perhaps _his_ newfound interest in Haruno Sakura.

Maybe it was because they had somehow lost their means of connecting – that one event that would instigate their marriage, Kasai's birth, and the rest of their lives.

Mirai Hinata awoke, perturbed that her arms were empty. The curtains were open and pale sunlight flooded the white room.

...white.

She was not in her bedroom, she was in Kasai's room, and Kasai's room was supposed to have colors – it had been covered in colors – every inch.

Hinata lightly shook herself, but the room did not change.

Was it Sasuke's doing? Her husband didn't joke, so was it an act of spite toward her, or compassion for his daughter? Frowning, Hinata climbed out of the bed. She should have gotten dressed, but was too impatient; too frustrated. She pulled on a robe and exited the room, trying to shake the sleepiness from her head. Why was everyone against her? Why did _she_ always have to be the wrong one? Why was he perpetually punishing her for being weak?

She wasn't weak.

Her hands trembled.

Curled in his bed, Sasuke visibly cringed when his room was flooded with light. Hinata glanced around, finding their daughter nowhere in sight. "Where's Kasai?" she said.

"I don't know," was her husband's muffled response, and he pulled his comforter over his head.

Hinata blinked, wringing the robe. "And what you did – to her bedroom-?"

There was a pause.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke mumbled.

Hinata left. Kasai must have wandered off again – she was known for the practice. She just hoped the girl hadn't gotten outside. Before Hinata knew quite what she was intending, she had entered the dining room, immediately assaulted by the spicy smell of tealeaves and four pairs of bland eyes. Her father, cousin, sister, and counterpart found her interesting enough to scrutinize, possibly because of the oversized robe that wasn't hers, the disheveled state of her hair, or the awkwardness with which she said- "Have you seen-" She stopped, attempting to collect herself, but not deviating from those stares. "I'm looking for Uchiha-san's daughter?"

The four at the table barely acknowledged her inquiry, the twitch of a nose and the rise of an eyebrow the only indications that she had said anything at all. It was the first breakfast Mirai Hinata had stepped in to, and she found herself deeply regretting the decision. Across that rectangular table, with the white linen, and crystal ware, there wasn't a person she didn't dislike. Mirai Hinata's eyes shifted from her father's, to Neji's, then Hanabi's, falling lastly upon her counterpart. The stare lingered.

The young Hinata had dark circles beneath her eyes, and Mirai Hinata couldn't help but stare. She had avoided the girl, she _hated _her young self, but she couldn't help but notice her raw cheeks and glassy eyes.

The young Hinata looked dead.

Like the aftermath.

Living, but dead.

Mirai Hinata took a step back. "Have you seen – U-Uchiha-san's-?"

"Kesshi?" someone finally assisted. Neji rose, as if to offer his assistance. His bearing was impassive, but what he proposed was kindness.

Was it logical that she was offended?

"Her name is Kasai," Hinata said, her fists clenching at her sides. She turned and left the room, her frustration bubbling. She stormed into the guest wing and crashed into something hard. Dark.

"Watch where you're going," her husband could have easily said, or grabbed her chin and asked what was wrong. Hinata had highly developed use of all five senses, and would not have walked into him unless something was off. Sasuke could have – _would_ have – shaken her, insisting that she compose herself, but instead wrapped her in his arms, in the quiet corridor, taunting that imminent risk of Neji, or Hanabi, bursting in to inquire about the misplaced "Kesshi."

This was not her husband. This was an act of mercy.

But wasn't this what she wanted? Attention? Sympathy? The chance to be weak? She held him back, despite herself, her fingernails sinking into the back of his shirt. But when she was weak, like this, Sasuke won. He said she was too weak to be logical. Too weak to handle the mission. _You're in a bad mental state._

She rested the side of her face to his chest, listening to his heart rate. Steady. Calm.

"I...was raped," she stated, her eyes half-lidded and voice hollow. Was this shock? Had it finally decided to seize her after a decade-long delay. "I – was – raped."

Was this the first time she had said it aloud? When last had they even communicated about it?

He thought she was too weak to be rational – then what was he? Detached – too strong to be human? She _wasn't _the wrong one, to pity her young self, just for a moment. To _want _to save herself.

She was surprised when Sasuke roughly pulled back, looking away, but looking damaged. _"You have no idea what I'm going through."_

"Otousan?"

It was that small intrusion that had interrupted many, lesser arguments in the past. The two turned to face a yawning child with dark hair and eyes.

But this child was not Kasai.

* * *

Four days.

It was early, but she had four days.

In four days she was destined to die. Was there such a thing as destiny? Maybe.

Maybe not.

And if there wasn't destiny, what had she to rely on? Her own two hands? The power to live or die – in her own hands?

She hadn't made a decision – that was assuming the gods allowed her one, with a life lacking the guidance of a marked map – or death's beauty, and the simplicity of destiny.

But the prospect of destiny defeated the purpose of time travel. Perhaps her decision would be her own – and if it wasn't, Konoha was meant to die.

So she would groom the person who would be her successor – or her successor's successor, depending on how long she was around – and she would be satisfied, whichever way things went.

Tsunade lightly tapped the diamond on her forehead. "This seal allows you to store and compress chakra over a long period of time. Each time you access it, your life span is significantly shortened." She raised her saucer, taking a long sip. When she lowered it, she noticed her apprentice had paled. "You are never to use this technique unless your life is on the line."

There was a long period of silence in which the fifteen-year-old's eyes were downcast. Tsunade watched her until they finally rose.

The Genesis of Rebirth was an original technique, having only one host, and needing one inheritor. It offered not only healing, but regeneration – a period of immortality during battle.

But if Sakura learned it, would she use it excessively? Would she use it in the future to protect the village? And moreover, would she succeed?

Perhaps she would just have to trust the girl. Maybe this time around the future would be safe.

Tsunade could only hope.

She watched the young Sakura lower to her knees on that cold tiled floor.

"I'm honored Tsunade-sama," she said, staring at the ground. "Show me the technique."

* * *

"Otousan...are you okay?" She frowned at her father's lack of response.

His shocked stare had not changed.

The girl looked to be six or seven, with black hair that was far longer than Kasai's. It reached her lower back, with two locks framing her pale face.

The child was a replica of Uchiha Mikoto, and Sasuke couldn't help but stare.

She was holding an object, something odd that rattled as she raised it. A thin willow hoop, netted, and decorated with beads and feathers.

"It's a dreamcatcher," she said knowledgeably. "I made it for you. Only good dreams are allowed through. It'll catch your bad dreams in the net and they'll disappear when the sun rises."

The girl wore a smile that was warm and genuine. An infectious smile like Sakura's, not an aggressive one like Kasai's.

He slowly accepted the gift, if only because that smile was falling. He felt Hinata take a step back.

Was he living a dream or a nightmare?

* * *

Ten years prior, when he had been fifteen, he really _hadn't_ had anything to live for.

His return to Konoha had only brought him pain. Searing pain in his wrists and ankles. It seemed like hours that he lay there, unable to move. Unable to think, breathe, or fight, because of the unbearable pain radiating down each of his limbs. It felt like his hands and feet were being slowly hacked off – no, that would have been better. That would have been far more merciful.

The pain caused his chest to heave violently, and each of his muscles to spasm. His eyes rolled up, but he continued to scream, because the clemency of unconsciousness would have been far too kind.

He was drenched in sweat when it was over. His clothes were soaked, and it pooled around him. He lay on his back and couldn't move, but watched his fingers twitch from the corner of his vision. He noticed black markings on his wrist...a seal that had been newly placed there. It looked like a cuff...or rather, a shackle. Four of them, around his wrists and ankles.

Vomit rose in his throat, and he choked. The old woman turned him to his side with surprising ease. Gray. Transparent. She watched him choke out more bile.

A surge of warm chakra allowed his body to stop trembling. A medic. She turned him back onto his back when it seemed he was finished being sick. The woman was thin, with paling blonde hair, and hazel eyes. There was a small purple diamond on the center of her wrinkled forehead.

_Where am I? _he wanted to ask, but was too weak to utter.

"You're in Konoha," the woman said, as though she could read minds. She pressed her pointer finger to his chest, and upon the character he couldn't yet see there. "As long as I am alive, you are bound to this village."

That wouldn't be long, then. She looked dead already.


	13. Innocent Little Girl

Since this is where everyone is becoming confused:

**Midnight: **I guess what I've been trying to express over the past few chapters is that every night, at midnight, changes take effect. The young Sakura made a commitment to keeping her hair short, so after midnight _Mirai_ Sakura's hair became short. A midnight, Naruto stared at his hands "in search of his favorite scars." At midnight, Kasai ceased to exist.

**Kasai vs Kesshi:** First of all, **this is a SasuHina fic, **and will remain a SasuHina fic. Secondly, I guess Kasai's disappearance could be attributed to the fact that the young Hinata made a commitment to hating Sasuke forever. Even if Sasuke isn't her rapist, she still has reason to despise Mirai Sasuke for his apparent disinterest in saving her. It can also be attributed to the fact that the young Sasuke surrendered his interest in the young Hinata and is now pursuing Sakura, as a sparring partner at the moment, but he is clearly fascinated by the strength of her future counterpart. Will Kasai be back? Yes, if the young Sasuke and Hinata get back on the right track.

**Day Seven:** Tsunade has been forecasted to die, and Hinata, to be raped, on this "seventh day." This fact has not changed. If these events are related, or whether other characters are assaulted on this day, has yet to be determined.

**Inner Sakura: **I basically gave Sakura multiple personality disorder. Also known as a "split personality." Throughout the first half of the Naruto series, Sakura has a vicious inner-Sakura encouraging her to be more aggressive. I basically turned this into a clinical problem and escalated it. In this story, every time Sakura is disturbed or frightened "Inner Sakura" takes control over her body. In the chapter **Inner Sakura, **Sasuke and her clashed at some point during the night. He ended up knocking her unconscious to prevent her from "hurting anyone," mainly, "the villain," who she probably stalked or just bumped into. If you look over the chapter again (not that I suggest you do), I mention that five characters were out of bed at some point during the night. This included Mirai Sakura, Mirai Naruto, Mirai Sasuke, the young Hinata, and someone else. It was this someone who caused Mirai Sakura to "panic" (as Sasuke accused), in which Inner Sakura took control of her body. Keep in mind that this "villain" pretty much kicked her ass in the beginning of the story. She was holding off the enemy, and was consequently the most injured of the time travelers. It's understandable that she's become so disturbed by this person, young or old. Any which way, this new chapter will reveal this villain and everyone's agenda in regards to the mission.

**Shackles:** In case you didn't understand the last scene of chapter 12, I just wanted to specify that the characters in it were Tsunade and Sasuke. She basically sealed him to the village upon his return from Orochimaru's rule. Being that these events apparently took place when Mirai Sasuke was fifteen, it didn't happen too long ago for the young Sasuke, and he still carries these shackle-like seals (as noticed by Kasai in chapter 3). I also wanted to highlight the fact that Tsunade looked so old she wasn't recognizable to Sasuke.

Yes, this is rather complicated. Please don't force yourself to remember any of this. Chapter by chapter, pieces of information will slowly correspond and become more relevant. If this story is too confusing to enjoy, feel free to drop it.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Kasai: **Conflagration; fire.

**Kesshi: **Hero; preparedness for death.

**Chapter 13**

A pale finger brushed against one of the wooden posts that framed the village's border. He was just a few yards beyond Konoha's gates. The young Sasuke allowed his pointer finger to drift passed the post and meet air. He pressed forward, as if expecting to touch something, and indeed he did. His finger met an invisible wall.

A static hum filtered through the air, as though something was being cooked in bubbling oil beside him.

Sasuke withdrew his hand and stared at his blackened fingertip. He placed it into his mouth, because burn wounds were _painful_, and no one was around to notice his petulant act.

Seals that had been transparent flared into existence on his wrists and ankles. They were the same markings Kasai had noticed days before, suggesting he was under some sort of containment spell. The child was right, and this would have been obvious if she had seen the final seal, a single character written on his chest like a tattoo.

氐

_Root._

Tsunade's seals were still in place, binding him to Konoha like a caged animal. He would therefore be the obvious candidate to be excluded from Kakashi's mission later that day.

Scowling, he turned back toward the village, when he felt a sudden surge of apprehension in his chest. He leaned down, clutching his torso where his heart beat erratically. Uchiha Sasuke was not one to have anxiety attacks, but it was there – anxiety, as well as panic and shock, and it was intense enough for him to lower to his knees. With wide eyes focused on the ground, Sasuke tried to regulate his breathing.

Unbeknownst to Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata was facing similar problems, a product of the mental bond they shared, to each other and to their future counterparts.

Anger. Hatred. Pain. Something was smothering her– screaming in her mind – and she couldn't identify what, or _who-_

-but she'd felt it before. Another's emotions, Mirai Sasuke's, and it had felt exactly the same, but this was far more intense, and this definitely wasn't the order that sustained Mirai Sasuke's mind.

This was Mirai Hinata, and there was no control, no bit of sanity or restraint, just an explosion of emotion, the strongest of them – uninhibited rage.

"Hinata?" said Neji. Hinata had reached for the teapot and then frozen, her hand suspended in the air. Neji stood when he saw her eyes roll upwards, but was unable to catch her before she could faint.

* * *

Upon closer examination of her daughter's bedroom, Mirai Hinata realized that all of Kasai's belongings had disappeared. Her clothes, her sandals, even the plastic squares covering the plug outlets. It was as though the guest room had never been occupied.

As though Kasai had never existed.

Hinata sat down on the bed, her pale eyes becoming transparent. Thin veins developed on her temples and she stared at the wall, not seeing anything.

Sasuke followed her inside. For once, he was discomposed. There was a heavy silence, broken only by his heavy breathing, before he pushed himself off the wall and approached her. "Hinata," he said, with control that was feigned. He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hinata..."

She was detached.

The Hyuuga removed his hand from her arm and instead clutched it in hers. She looked down at the thin scar where he had slit his wrist days prior. "Yes?" She traced the mark with chakra-laced fingertips.

Sasuke winced. Hinata had taken to tapping his wrist, the scar tissue softening each time it met her searing white chakra. Petechia began to form on his wrist around the scar. He tried to withdraw his arm, but she held it, kissed it, and pressed it. Tapping, tapping.

"Kesshi," said Hinata. "Kesshi, Kesshi, your Kesshi, yours...and Sakura's?" She blinked a few times, and her eyes finally met his. "I need-" she took a deep breath, and he watched tears pool at the bottoms of her eyes. "I need Kasai."

"I need her too."

Blood began to pool in his wrist as the scarred artery broke beneath the skin. But he'd let her hurt him if it made her better. _It's my fault, _he thought, as the Hyuuga released his hand. It was ultimately his fault, whether or not Hinata was aware of it.

Kasai didn't exist. Kasai had never been born. How did one create the perfect little girl, one with black hair and eyes, a mischievous grin, who clung to anyone and everyone who smiled back – whose name was Kasai, born five years into the future, conceived nine months before then-

If he got their counterparts on the right path, and if they didn't falter again-

"I – don't want to be with you a-anymore," Hinata said. She rose to her feet, and his heart clenched.

_Don't do this._

She reached up and held the sides of his face. "But I don't want to erase our past."

* * *

Mirai Sakura barely noticed when Mirai Sasuke walked by clutching his wrist, or the look of surprise in Kesshi's eyes when he failed to acknowledge her. Sakura didn't notice Sasuke's tense shoulders, his pale face, or the blotchy bruises crawling across his arm where he continued to internally bleed.

She saw only Kesshi.

_Daughter._

_We got our child back! _said Inner Sakura victoriously.

Beside her, someone grasped her hand. "Sakura, are you all right?"

She blinked, glazed eyes becoming radiant again. "I'm fine," she said.

"How is this possible," said Naruto, looking pained.

_Kami, how am I supposed to know?_

"Okaasan, what's wrong?" Kesshi asked.

Black hair. Long black hair, fair skin, stubborn cheeks, a strapless violet dress – very girly – thin eyebrows, a beautiful smile. Her nose was Sakura's, her lips were Sakura's, her shy grin and little feet, and-

Everything else was Sasuke's. The teeth, the skin...those onyx eyes that would awake the sharingan.

Sakura's hand was still clutched in Naruto's, but she pulled away. "Nothing," she assured the girl, kneeling down and hugging her. She breathed her in. It was all real. Everything about her. She was a living, breathing little girl.

_Torture. Emotional torture._

The child was a toy, and she was playing around.

Hers and Sasuke's? _Hers and_ _Sasuke's! ?_

"What happened?" said Naruto, more to himself than to her.

Were they changing time? Did this mean their mission could really succeed? Sakura had suspected there had been changes – her hair getting shorter to match a commitment of her young counterpart's – and the dreams she'd been having, dreams of countless "what ifs?" every night she allowed herself to sink below the surface of sleep. Every time, she dreamt of something else – _someone else, _from _her _world. And every day, things – small things – had changed, barely noticeable to a weary mind. They had been dreams, just dreams, silly speculation, but Kesshi was real, and Kasai-

...Kasai.

Where was Kasai?

Mirai Naruto frowned down at the young girl wrapped in his wife's arms. Their presence in the past had somehow twisted his destiny – binding Sakura not to him, but to Uchiha Sasuke – though her memories persisted. His love for Sakura persisted.

He had grabbed his wife's hand as a test, and she'd held it back. She still identified him as her husband.

The alterations they made in the past reflected their bodies, but not their minds_._ But when they went back to their time, who knew? Maybe Sakura would be with Sasuke, and it would be the norm. Perhaps they'd lose their memories of ever time traveling. Maybe they'd all live oblivious lives in accordance to the changes they'd made.

Or maybe they'd remember it all. Which would be worse?

All Naruto knew for sure was that things had changed. Things had definitely changed.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was concerned with his subordinates, particularly Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata. Each was still anxiety-ridden from seeing their future counterparts, each trying to interpret their futures from the brief words and exchanges they'd made in Tsunade's office. Mostly, they wanted to know whose pants Sasuke had gotten into long enough to procreate. Kakashi saw the awkwardness with which they sparred, the fatigue in their eyes, and their withering concentration.

His greatest worry was Sasuke. The Uchiha had begun to make all of his decisions based on his perception of his future self.

Kakashi no longer knew of a girl named Kasai, he knew Kesshi, _Uchiha Kesshi, _with long hair, dark eyes, and an orderly disposition. She was even a little compulsive, like her father. But cheerful, kind, compassionate, and...odd.

Odd, because she was assured that everyone liked her, and she neither sought approval, nor did she accept it. Odd because she was nearly perfect, and nothing like Hyuuga Hinata.

Though Kakashi didn't remember Kasai, he knew that Mirai Hinata and Mirai Sasuke were together. He'd studied their interaction; their inability to conceal their intimacy.

Kakashi's mind could not appreciate the physical changes triggered by time-travel, but he knew the information he'd collected from the future counterparts. He knew that Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata were together, whether or not that reality had become a lie.

And Uchiha Sasuke, the _young_ Sasuke – he remembered Kasai – cheerful, clingy, manipulative and faultless. He and his future counterpart were one in the same, and he had been given the luxury of remembering his future daughter.

But he _did not_ know Kesshi.

Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets, facing the girl who would provide him with the child he didn't want. "Sakura."

Everything he did was technical, tactical, strategic, precise, meticulous – things he learned through reading, listening, watching, studying – it was why he had sharingan. It was why he was without flaw.

But no one had told him about girls.

A relationship wasn't a technique he could master through being pedantic. There were no rules, no guidelines, and there wasn't any sort of _Fast Forward _button. So he hadn't thoroughly thought through his infamous list of goals. _Revive his clan, _very interesting, very curious, but _what the hell did that mean?_

Getting a submissive fifteen-year-old girl to have his child?

No. Of course not. He wasn't any sort of a lecher.

He remained unmoving when she pressed her glossy lips to his cheek. The other's watched – rather – they gaped_, _Naruto's brows furrowed and Hinata's lips parted.

But Sasuke knew the Hyuuga wasn't Kasai's mother. She wasn't even interested in him.

-not that he was interested in her! He was going to be with Sakura in the end.

"Hey, let's keep it clean you two." Kakashi intruded the innocent exchange, squeezing himself between Sasuke and Sakura. He stared oddly at the pair before releasing a sigh. "Since we're leaving the village, I can only take up to four of you on the mission today. Sasuke, Hinata, you stay behind and train. I expect you both to be here when we get back this evening."

Sasuke was unsurprised that he was among the two to stay behind, considering he couldn't physically leave the village anyway. He wasn't irritated as he normally would have been. He still felt somewhat woozy from his – episode – earlier that day.

The pain persisted, dull in his head, sharp in his chest. He didn't know what it was.

He glanced at the Hyuuga heiress who looked just as disordered as he was. Pale face, heavy lids, she stared at the ground, barely acknowledging the jounin's words.

Why was Kakashi always putting them together?

Sakura pushed passed their sensei and pecked him again – on the lips – causing Sasuke's eyes to widen, and Kakashi to frown beneath his mask. "I'll miss you Sasuke-kun."

Kun.

He was now her boyfriend, yet she still addressed him with "kun." It unnerved him. It made him nauseous.

Kiba watched him before he left, but said nothing, seeming satisfied that Sasuke was seeing someone who wasn't Hinata. Kakashi, aloof, vaguely urged the pair to "have fun," before walking off, his face hidden behind his sketchy novel. He didn't condone infidelity, despite his questionable reading interests, he just wanted to preserve the boy's future, and something told him it was getting a little off course.

The quartet took to the trees and disappeared into the forest, leaving Sasuke and Hinata alone to train until their return.

* * *

She ignored the person following her, _curiously _walking behind her, with deep breaths.

Sasuke always told her to take deep breaths.

But she wasn't hyperventilating, she was having a breakdown, and the moment she entered the corridor – to see Sakura hugging that _girl –_ Mirai Hinata completely lost control.

But she didn't take her anger out on the pink-haired woman. She took it out on the innocent preteen who had been curiously stalking after her.

Hyuuga Hanabi had chosen a bad time to be curious.

She gasped when Mirai Hinata materialized in front of her and caught her neck.

Hinata closed her eyes, her hands caressing the intricate system of capillaries beneath her fingers. She'd lost her world, and now Kasai.

_All your fault._

She opened her eyes again, veins blossomed beside them. They were irrational eyes that knew only contempt for the thin girl staring up at her.

Her finger's tightened around Hanabi's throat. She would save her world no matter what. She would save her world, even if it meant killing an innocent little girl.

She watched her sister choke as blood pooled beneath her skin. Hinata felt veins bursting under her fingers. She pressed them harder, _harder_ with her chakra. She pressed Hanabi's jugular, slowly smiling.

Behind her Naruto and Sakura watched. Sasuke wasn't around. Just who could stop them now?

**Part 2**

The fifteen-year-old Hinata took to the trees, feeling Sasuke always a breath behind her. One mistake and he would catch her.

She could have left and come back at night when the others were due to return, but Sasuke would have never allowed her to get away with that.

She...didn't know whether she hated him anymore. She wondered if her heart was pounding for another reason.

He had kissed Sakura.

Would she want someone like him beside her four days from then, or as far away from her as possible?

Sasuke...her rapist.

But he had...kissed Sakura.

His interest in her had passed. Did that mean he suspected – or realized – that Sakura was Kasai's mother? Was she obligated to warn Sakura of Sasuke's dangerous mentality?

But if Sasuke was Sakura's rapist, he obviously wasn't _her _rapist, unless he had raped them both. And who had said anything about Sakura getting raped?

Hinata closed her eyes.

Sasuke...her rapist?

It didn't seem logical anymore. They only knew each other because of Kasai. In fact, if it hadn't been for their future counterparts, Sasuke would have been pleasantly oblivious of her first name. If their counterparts hadn't even known each other at the age of fifteen, what would have compelled Sasuke to attack her?

He had...he had kissed Sakura-san.

And if Sakura was Kasai's mother, Sasuke had no reason to suspect it was her. He had no reason to hurt her.

So why was she still terrified?

...because of that lingering doubt. Her inability to accept that he wasn't her monster. Her need to connect a face to the man who would ruin her-

Hinata's white eyes met onyx ones.

Uchiha Sasuke was handsome in the typical sense of the word. He wasn't unique, but the _definition _of handsome, particularly when he had that curious look on his face, in his dark eyes – grit teeth – he _wasn't _trying, he was just...he was...

Sasuke was with Sakura...Sasuke was with Sakura...he wasn't interested in the her, just Kasai...and Sakura...

She attempted to jump down to the ground, to disappear into the forest, but Sasuke caught her arm, and her body froze. She winced as he slammed her again the tree, catching her neck, and pinning her there.

Hinata deeply breathed. He wasn't squeezing her throat. His hold was relaxed. She stared at him, wondering why.

More than once during their spar Sasuke had hesitated to strike her. Whereas he'd been a brute in the past, now few of his attacks connected, and they always came soft, weak, precarious.

Sasuke released her throat and the heiress continued to pant. She didn't open her eyes, not feeling him move, or strike, or do _anything_ for that matter. Her eyes opened to slits, and she met weary ones, a clenched jaw, a scowl, Sasuke's own shallow breaths-

There were faint lines beneath his eyes.

"Why-?" Hinata managed, coughing. She forced herself to continue. "Why w-won't you hurt m-me."

Sasuke's stare didn't waver. One of his hands were clutching his chest.

"Why won't you hurt me!"

They stood in the shadows of leaves. The nearest villagers were miles away. Now was her chance – her only chance. She'd be saving herself! She'd be saving...saving herself?

He was only interested in one thing, no matter how much she questioned it. He was still after her – trying to manipulate her! She realized this, as he grabbed her arms, leaned down-

Terrified. She was terrified.

She yanked down his collar and pressed her teeth to his neck. His head jerking back, Sasuke released a grunt of pain.

They stood there unmoving, the Uchiha frozen, gasping.

Her teeth pressed down on his carotid artery; she could feel it pulsate beneath her tongue. One chance – to bite it out, and end his life. It would take seconds. It was her one opportunity to save herself from what she would become-

Four days.

...but what if she was wrong?

Would she have killed an innocent boy?

She parted her teeth, releasing the skin. She kissed the spot, feeling Sasuke's chest heave against hers. It was wholly sexual, and she was...an idiot.

Pale pupils rolling upward, Hinata fainted in his arms.

* * *

The hilt of his sword connected viciously with Mirai Hinata's skull, again, again, _again._

Her fingers relaxed, her eyelids lowered, and her body crumpled to the ground. Mirai Sasuke caught Hanabi before she could follow. Her eyes were wide and staring, like those of the dead. The girl was limp in his arms. He gathered her up and turned to Sakura.

"Heal her."

His voice was hoarse and it was only then that Sasuke realized his vision was spotty. He was losing blood himself, and would be powerless in moments. There wasn't time to waste-

-and Sakura wasn't moving.

Staring.

...smiling.

Inner Sakura was a bitch.

Sasuke lowered Hanabi to the floor and propped her against the wall, her glazed eyes unblinking.

But dark bruises were blossoming upon her neck and collar. She was still bleeding. She was still alive.

Sasuke drew his katana. The blade was spotless. "Heal her," he repeated, approaching Sakura. Dark hair hung in crimson eyes, the sharingan spinning wildly. He'd kill her if she didn't fucking move. He would – _he fucking would!_ There was still time – it couldn't end like _this. _One chance. She was ruining his _one chance. _Sasuke raised his sword-

And it clattered to the ground.

Naruto was suddenly in front of him, holding his wrist, stemming the blood flow, but doing nothing for Hyuuga Hanabi. "Don't touch her," he said, looking pained. "Sakura won't heal her, she _can't do anything_. _We _can't_ – _we _shouldn't_, Sasuke. Just let it be, Kami just let it-"

Someone coughed. Naruto and Sasuke turned around, and stared at the source of the noise.

Hanabi was regaining consciousness. Kesshi had knelt down beside her, a green glow of chakra emanating from her hands. Sasuke watched as Hanabi's bruises disappeared. Her eyes coming back into focus, she released a small grunt, thin arms hugging herself.

Kesshi lowered her hands and looked up at her father. "I did it – I healed her, Otousan."

* * *

He'd carried her to the ground and rested her against a tree, wondering whether he should have been peeved that Hyuuga Hinata had bitten him.

_Bitten _him.

_Her. _Hinata. She was...

Very odd, Sasuke decided, touching his neck and feeling...

Odd.

What did it mean? Was that her means of confronting a boy? Why was it so..._kinky?_

He scratched the back of his head, which was something he _never did, _so quickly dropped his arm to his side.

The sun was setting, and he rather wanted to go home for some reason, but it didn't seem right to leave her alone, unconscious, in the woods. Her skin was burning, and he'd tried taking her jacket off, but had stopped, feeling guilty, not because she was wearing anything inappropriate beneath – a simple black tank top – but because she was more developed than other girls in their age group.

He absently scratched the back of his head again.

He'd already acknowledged the fact that he was attracted to her, but that attraction was meaningless because she wasn't Kasai's mother.

If it hadn't been for Kasai, who had instigated his notice of Hinata, as well as those private meetings in Shikamaru's classroom, he wouldn't have even _known_ Hyuuga Hinata. He wouldn't have been attracted to her – _physically _– attracted.

If anything, he should have been staying away from the girl, _far away._

Because he might have just...possibly...tried to kiss her.

And she had bitten him – _bitten him._

Her lips on his neck.

...and he'd liked it.

Which wasn't good!

It was odd.

But doubt was something they had in common.

He watched her stir, and kneeled down in front her.

He'd been reluctant to strike Hinata – not that he was getting soft or anything – but she had looked sick all day. He wasn't kind, but he wasn't cruel. There were dark dashes beneath her eyes as though she hadn't been sleeping. At times she'd been barely conscious of the fight, absorbed in her own thoughts.

He watched her eyes open. Ghost white, narrowed with dizziness...utterly adorable.

What if it _wasn't _Sakura?

Doubt. That doubt. He was wrong to grab hold of it. He should have snuffed it out.

What if...it was Hinata?

Her eyes finally focused on his, and he took her chin before she could say anything. "I want you to speak to me," he said, watching her. "And then..." he trailed off, disordered and he didn't know why. "And then..."

They were suddenly very close, and Hinata wasn't pulling away this time. Rather...she was closing her eyes. He could feel her breath pressing his lips-

And then he heard the whispers of bodies in the leaves.

Sasuke pulled away, looking at the sky, the grass, anywhere but her. From the corner of his eye he watched Hinata draw her knees and lower her face to her hands, deeply blushing.

Someone landed beside them. Kakashi, glancing curiously from one to the other.

Sasuke straightened. What the hell were they doing?

* * *

It was late, and Sakura had just returned from a mission, but Tsunade had decided to summon her anyway. Her student needed to perfect the genesis of rebirth technique, because they only had _four fucking days._

Tsunade rested her elbow upon her desk and her cheek against her knuckles.

Four days. Practically _three._

Sakura sat on her heels on the floor in the center of the room-

-a small purple diamond in the center of her forehead.

She'd finally gotten it. Tsunade watched Sakura as she sat there, panting. She didn't know whether to feel unsettled or proud.

Would this be her biggest mistake?

She looked up at her unannounced guests who had rudely interrupted Sakura's late training session. Flanking the door were Samui and Karui of Kumogakure. Cloud ninja were allies of Konoha, but that didn't mean they could intrude. The sheer fact that they had entered the village without prior consent was concerning as it was.

Tsunade absently wondered whether her untimely death would have anything to do with the foreigners standing across the room.

"Hyuuga Hanabi," Samui clarified their purpose. Silver hair hung around her shoulders, short in the back and gradually lengthening toward the front. "She isn't the heir. She wouldn't be missed by her family."

"We'd be protecting her from the Hyuuga's cursed seal," Karui piped in. "Hanabi-chan can have a new life in Kumogakure-"

Che. "Before or after you gouge her eyes out?" Tsunade inquired.

There was pause. "Tsunade-hime..."

Impertinent bitch.

"We just want to _study_ Hanabi," Samui continued. "She wouldn't be any sort of a project. She'll have freedom and friends. We even have a suitor-"

That was enough. "Leave," said Tsunade.

Samui furrowed her eyebrows. "What?"

"Get out of my office – get out of my village."

For a while all that was heard was Sakura's dry panting. The girl slowly rose, her body sticky with sweat. She eyed the frozen visitors. "Get out," she offered.


	14. Day Six

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 14**

"Wake me up if you wake up."

Kesshi nodded, her dark eyes wide. "Otousan, are you okay?"

Mirai Sasuke dropped to the chair at the bedside, grasping his knees, his head bowed.

His body was shutting down unbidden by him, and he would have welcomed it if his loss of consciousness didn't mean Hanabi's loss of protection.

His bangs hung in his eyes, offering further obscurity to his failing vision. He would soon surrender, but had to make his message clear. "Wake me up if you hear anything, or if you wake up – even for a moment."

Because if she woke up, it meant she had been disturbed, whether by a noise or by another's chakra penetrating her senses. If she woke up, it meant someone was moving outside, and he could not allow Hanabi to be murdered by one of his comrades.

All his senses would be null the moment he allowed his eyelids to meet. He was low on blood, and no amount of chakra could defy his anatomical necessities. "Don't be afraid," Sasuke said, only because he suspected he frightened the girl.

He felt her gaze on his head, and then her fingers twist through his hair, just as any silly child's would, or a girl utterly invested in being girly. "I love you, Otousan." It was stated habitually, a reality as natural as the blue sky and white sun. She kissed his head, and his body tensed.

"I–"

Was he to offer his love to the girl he didn't know?

She seemed to know him.

Kesshi had healed his wrists before the blood loss could become perilous. She had hung the dreamcatcher from the ceiling, climbing along the walls with chakra control that was highly advanced for a child her age. Kesshi had healed Hanabi – saved the girl's life. But Kesshi...unnerved him.

Because she wasn't Kasai.

Sasuke closed his eyes, allowing his exhaustion to consume him.

At midnight he dreamt of the future, but the dreams weren't logical – they entailed him with Sakura, and he struggled against them.

At midnight, the young Hinata closed her eyes as she held her sister against her. Hanabi was trembling, but wouldn't divulge what had upset her. Hinata sunk into unconsciousness, for she had problems of her own, ones she dreamt about; grit teeth, dark eyes...three days.

And at midnight...at the strike of midnight, Mirai Sakura's life span was cut in half.

Multiple personality disorder was a trauma disorder, meaning every time Sakura was duly afraid, her vicious alternate assumed control, doing as she pleased with the body they shared.

And Sakura was definitely afraid.

Whenever her inner self had come out to fight, she had done just that, _and fought hard. _She had fought until her arms and legs were broken. She had fought despite her power being disproportionate with that of her enemy's.

Sakura had fought until her knuckles were blackened and face blood-streaked.

_Inner Sakura _had fought until she was suitably dead.

Because with the genesis of rebirth, she could get back up.

Her body regenerated every time it was broken. She could not die in battle, courtesy of the purple diamond above her brows.

Mirai Sakura awoke that morning to someone shaking her.

"Why do you have Tsunade's technique?" Naruto demanded, staring at her forehead and grasping the front of her shirt. "What did you do? _What the hell did you do?"_

* * *

They hadn't healed her, having only bandaged her skull, probably to keep her unconscious for as long as they could.

Mirai Hinata pushed aside her tear soaked pillow. It was still early, still dark outside. She could see the moon through the window, though it seemed blurry, as did the bedroom. Her body was shaking, cold, and drenched in sweat, implying that she was sick, that her wound was infected, but it wasn't-

It was Kasai.

Missing her daughter made her physically ill.

And hating Hanabi made her stronger...much stronger.

Hinata wasn't crazy – _never crazy _– just honest with herself, and with the fact that she had sacrificed her love for Hanabi, willingly, _entreatingly_-

To the man in white. His kind face, his pallid skin.

He had thought that he was gaining something from her, though she was the true beneficiary. Her love for Hanabi had mired her for years, but now she could hate her sister without hindrance. She finally had the resolve to do _exactly _what needed to be done. Alas, the opportunity to kill her.

A deep blue hue drenched the room, suggesting the sun would be rising soon. Birds fluttered and chirped outside, already about and prepared to hunt. Though the air felt icy on her bare shoulders, and the sheer act of opening her eyes had caused her skull to ache, Hinata stared at the trembling shadow standing across her room.

"Who's there?" she murmured, climbing up to a sitting position.

She wasn't afraid of the dark anymore. Her abilities easily trumped darkness, but she couldn't allow herself to use them.

It wouldn't have made things any different, or changed the fact that something was moving across her room. Perhaps she had always been more afraid of reality than she was of darkness.

Three days until the rape. Three days until they got her.

Three flashes of silver sailed across the room. When Hinata turned on the lights, she realized she had embedded several senbon into the heart of her husband's robe.

Turning away, she walked to the bureau and stared into the mirror. Her cheeks were raw from crying in her sleep.

The kunoichi reached up and unraveled the bandages encircling her skull. Tresses of dark hair fell around her shoulders. Her hair concealed her injury. Perhaps she could take a mission over the next few days, just to escape the hell that was the Hyuuga household. If ever she needed an escape, she needed it now.

**Let me in.**

Hinata blinked. It was Sasuke. She quickly closed off their telepathic connection.

Denial was peaceful, but Hinata already knew he was outside her room awaiting her response, eyes narrowed, jaw set. She could still feel him, his suppressed anger, his even breathing, his lightening-laced chakra as it spiked and withered. The picture of controlled rage, his emotions seeped through her blockade, as shrunken and stifled as they were. He was angry, angry at her, and he was waiting.

Hinata closed her eyes. She was in pain, pain greater than anything she'd ever experienced. She wanted to drop to the ground, but forced one foot forward, and then the other. She miraculously found her way to the door, and opened it, meeting his black eyes.

Eyes she loved so much.

They were narrowed, as she'd expected, jaw clenched, as she'd predicted. She had been unable to forecast his arms, at his sides, fists clenched, but they slowly relaxed as their eyes met.

They stared at each other, as if surprised by what they saw.

"Let me in," he repeated, still watching her.

But couldn't he feel it – the fact that she was using every drop of her resolve not to break? She tried to push past him, but he caught her wrist.

"Hinata."

"I have a mission," the Hyuuga lied.

"You're unstable," Sasuke countered.

Hinata bit her mouth. "That's a bonus, you know," she said. "Well of course you know." She raised her free hand to again try to escape him, but he caught that one as well. Suddenly both her hands were in his hold – at the wrist – so she couldn't touch him.

But she wouldn't have hurt him again-! She – she hadn't meant-!

She closed her eyes. She didn't know what she had meant to do, other than hate him. Enforce that she hated him.

"We need to talk," Sasuke said, surprising her when he released her arms. She opened her eyes again, face blank, lips parted. She watched Sasuke hold the doorframe for added support. He was weak.

"I need my daughter," said Hinata. "The only thing I'll ever need is my daughter."

There was a pause in which Sasuke bit hard on the inside of his cheek.

"Fighting with me is selfish. We should be focusing on saving Kasai."

"That's what I was doing – saving Kasai. That's all I want to do."

"Killing Hanabi-"

"Killing Hanabi will reverse everything and save _everyone._"

Sasuke watched her but said nothing.

Was he suggesting that they _didn't_? That they risked everything – on a whim?

Sasuke would take what he could get; confidence in his cause. Confidence that he wouldn't fail. That unsubstantial confidence that had nearly been the death of him on numerous occasions. He was aware of the risks, but too proud to consider them.

Too proud to _allow_ them.

Of her, he requested hope.

Hope. What was hope? She needed something solid.

Kasai was their daughter. She didn't deserve hope, she deserved _life._

What if she had lost Kasai...what if she had lost Kasai forever...

Her mind numb, and eyes unfocused, she watched the world waver, and noticed Sasuke release the doorframe. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her against him. Hinata feebly tried to escape, but she was bound in his arms. She retired to burying her face in his chest, if only to hide her tears. She felt lightheaded, like she would fall, and felt her fingers slowly wrap in the back of his shirt.

Sasuke's lips lowered to her head, pressing the injury, but she couldn't feel anything anymore. "Breathe," he urged her.

She closed her eyes, her body relaxing, as she breathed in the scents of earth and amber. She inhaled once, twice, then released. Hinata took another long draw, forcing oxygen in her lungs, until her vision was clear and the room was no longer spinning. When the episode was over, she didn't move, but rested in his arms. She hadn't been sleeping well – _couldn't_ sleep – without him.

She felt Sasuke submit, felt him pull her closer-

"Sasuke. Hinata."

He released her, glancing over his shoulder. She peeked beyond his chest at Naruto and Sakura, still in their nightclothes.

"Can we talk?" said the blonde.

* * *

"Communication?" said Mirai Sasuke, leaning against a wall in Naruto's room. "Mundane," he added sarcastically. He watched the blonde offer him a chair, but only glared in response.

Kyuubi's host angrily grinned. "You shouldn't talk. You're being a guarded bastard."

"Aa." The Uchiha watched Sakura sigh as she rubbed her temple. He didn't disregard the diamond beside it. "What is this about?" he said, if only to prompt an explanation.

Hinata was sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed, her legs curled beside her, and hands on the ground. She was staring at the floor, her face curtained by her hair. She didn't want to look at anyone, but patiently waited for what Naruto had to say.

Sakura stood beside the blonde, unconsciously folding her arms.

"It's about...the changes," Naruto said, and took a deep breath. "Every night – we change."

They knew.

It was night that had taken Kasai.

Every night they had dreams of the future, of things that were constant, and of things that had changed throughout the timeline.

"Our bodies change because we – _are_ – our counterparts," the blonde continued, glancing at his hands. "Our memories are independent – for now – for which I am grateful, but our presence here is changing our young selves, therefore affecting us – and our world."

He stopped speaking, mostly to let the information settle. Hinata drew her knees. It was nothing she didn't already know. Kasai's disappearance was evidence of the changes that had been made.

Sakura met eyes with her husband, seeming uneasy. "This is a good thing..." she trailed off, more so convincing herself than reassuring the others. Naruto's dejected expression didn't help. "It means the jutsu worked," Sakura continued, turning away from the blonde and committing herself to her statement. "It means we're literally _changing the future. _We're fully capable of saving it."

Hinata looked up. "Once we complete our mission, we'll be back in our world...everything will be back to normal. Once we prevent Konoha from being destroyed, we would have never come to the past in the first place." She felt her heart race. She was a breath away from Kasai. Saving Konoha meant getting her back.

Sasuke was leaning heavily on the wall. "No. That's not true," he said. "If we prevent Konoha's destruction in the past, we would never have come here – just as you said. But if we never came here, then we would have never saved Konoha. It's a paradox. Originally we assumed we were unique from our counterparts, but that theory was incorrect."

Comprehension flooded Hinata's eyes. If Sasuke was right, it meant their mission was worthless, and that Konoha could not be saved.

The Uchiha glanced at Naruto. "But I assume you considered this, _Hokage-sama?_"

A smile crossed Naruto's face. "You're right teme. The purpose of our offerings was to allow us access to the past and to make our adjustments _irreversible_." He turned his gaze to the raw-faced Hyuuga. "I was assured there would be no paradox. If you assumed that killing Hanabi would erase our act of coming to the past, you were wrong. Killing her won't reverse _any _of the other changes we triggered in this time. But it _will_ save the future," he glanced back at Sasuke, "despite our disagreements."

_And Kasai...is lost, _Hinata stared at a wall, her breathing growing shallow again. "H-how do we fix our m-mistakes?" she needed to know.

"By making more."

_No, no, no..._ Naruto was wrong. It would be impossible to try to instigate their daughter's conception. They were more likely to end up with a different child than to meet Kasai again. Hinata stared at her knees, holding her head.

Sasuke didn't move. "Tell us more about the jutsu," he said.

Sighing, Naruto took the seat that Sasuke had refused. "As I said, our sacrifices gave us the means of getting to the past. Assuming Kasai sacrificed something, which she would have _had_ to – everyone had too..." Naruto trailed off, not noticing Sakura blink in puzzlement. "I think – I believe that her life is – preserved. That her soul is preserved. None of us came to this time whole or alive, but we each sacrificed something to exist here, and were put together. We each reserve the right to exist – if only so the man in white can watch us struggle without my dreams, Sasuke's blood, your love for your sister," he gestured to Hinata. "If we don't exist, our offerings don't exist, and that wouldn't be acceptable. I think we have been written in destiny, even if the rest of the world is not."

Hinata looked up.

"Essentially, we can all die – everyone's meant to die at some point or another – but we cannot simply erase the fact that we ever existed," said Naruto.

Sasuke stared at him. "Tell us how to get Kasai back," he said impatiently. Hinata climbed to her feet.

Naruto looked down. His and Sakura's lost first child – a son, blue-eyed with "silly pink hair" – had been described, vividly, by the man in white. His son's life had been planned out before he had been born, probably before he had even been conceived. His life had been destined – a piece of that fate they were thoroughly butchering through offerings and time travel. His son was forever lost, but Kasai was preserved.

...though this didn't make Kesshi any less real.

"I think your first child will always be Kasai, no matter when she is born," said Naruto. "Our lives are planned out before we are born, and though we've thoroughly botched fate as it is, I think we can get this piece of it back in order. So as long as chibi-Sasuke gets into chibi-Hinata's pants-"

"Shut up," Mirai Sasuke intervened. He turned to his wife, who was staring back at him. If Naruto was right – if the fucking idiot was right–! After a day of pure hell Mirai Sasuke closed his eyes and allowed himself to breathe again.

Hinata put her face in her hands, and Naruto wearily smiled. _So_, sensitivity wasn't his forte.

"What about Kesshi?" Sakura interjected.

Kesshi was an innocent little girl, and Sakura could not watch her disappear. The girl was real no matter who insisted she didn't belong.

They were changing _a lot _of things, many for the better. They couldn't snuff out another's life. They couldn't erase Kesshi's existence!

Naruto frowned. "I don't know," he said, though he was lying, and both of them knew it. Kasai would appear in Kesshi's place – but what could any of them do about it?

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek, her heart pounding, and her inner-self demanding that she act.

But what could she do?

Daughter, a daughter.

Kesshi's existence entailed a relationship with Sasuke, and Sakura knew she loved Naruto – _never Sasuke – _Naruto. Naruto!

She'd never sacrifice that love! She'd utterly refused to sacrifice her love for Naruto!

But Inner Sakura was persistent. Inner Sakura was...overwhelming. And Sakura felt wrong, and weak...like something wasn't right with her body. She moved her hand toward her chest, to pester her heart with healing chakra – but Naruto caught her arm. He was suddenly beside her. "Let's get out of here," he murmured, reassuringly kissing her hand. "Let's go."

* * *

She'd heard her sister mumble something in her sleep that morning. 'Two days.'

Hanabi lay spread-eagle across the porch, half-lidded eyes focused on the sunrise. The Uchiha's daughter sat beside her, pestering her about her hair, her eyes, her insignificant nose, but Hanabi tuned it out.

She'd never known children to like her. It was new.

She'd never known Hinata to hate her either.

The eleven-year-old closed her eyes.

She didn't mind Kesshi. The child had healed her after Mirai Hinata's attack. But why had the future woman assaulted her in the first place? Were they estranged in the future? Did they hate each other?

It would make sense.

She was stronger than Hinata. Their father was interested in passing the clan to her, _not Hinata, _despite her elder being the rightful heir_._ It was a sheer technicality, one Hanabi was keen to overcome.

Hanabi wasn't a weakling, by any means. Mirai Hinata's attack had proven one thing.

That she was dangerous.

They all were.

But Hanabi was not afraid. She would watch them closely, and would not let her guard down again. She wasn't interested in reporting her findings, not until she uncovered exactly what they were planning.

Hanabi listened to movement beyond the door as her family assembled for breakfast. She winced when Kesshi offered a, "bye Hana-chan," before running inside, probably to avoid her father noticing her absence. She finally opened one of her eyes as a shadow loomed over her.

It was Uchiha Sasuke – the young one, his hands in his pockets and eyebrows raised.

"Is Hinata here?

**Part 2**

Her chakra was constantly being exhausted. She had allowed it, unconsciously, but needed to know what her body was using it for. And so, she had stared into her mirror that night, allowing her body to relax and her chakra to recede into her core.

Her skin softened, veins bulging along her arms, legs, and neck. Her hair and lips paled, her eyes dimmed, and her body aged considerably. She didn't look twenty-five anymore. She looked like her grandmother had days before she died.

"What happened?" she hissed. Her voice rasped, no longer concealed by the henge. _"What happened to me?" _Mirai Sakura placed her hands on the mirror, staring at her elderly face, at the wrinkled diamond on her forehead. "No, no..." her hands slammed against her reflection. "No!"

* * *

Hinata wasn't Sakura.

He had to keep reminding himself that Hinata...wasn't...Sakura.

When had he developed feelings for the girl? No, not feelings, attraction; physical attraction. That was all. That _had_ to be all.

They lay on the roof a few feet away from each other, both watching the sky, blank expressions on their faces. The roof was relatively private. No one could see them from the ground unless they tried, and the occasional crow served as their only diversion.

To Sasuke the silence was peaceful, but to Hinata, it was wretched, and what prompted her to murmur, "What do you want?"

He would have settled with a curt, 'To speak to you,' but heard himself mutter, "To be with you."

Both of them somehow already knew it. He finally looked at Hinata, noticing the pink blush that never failed to deliver.

When he received no response, and Hinata continued to look away from him, Sasuke turned back to the sky. Was it wrong to make all his decisions based on his interpretation of their counterparts? Would it be wrong to abruptly surrender that commitment, and drift toward a relationship that could have been mistakenly triggered by them?

He wanted to know them. Mirai Sasuke, Mirai Naruto, Mirai Sakura, and Mirai Hinata. Would they give him just a little direction? He didn't want to damage the future, but felt lost about his every action. Perhaps his pursuit of Kasai's mother had been a mistake in the first place, because the suspects were exactly that – suspects.

"I don't w-want to be with y-you," Hinata said. "P-please leave me a-alone." She heaved a sob and he wondered why.

He felt annoyed, and didn't know whether it was because she was emotional, or because she had rejected him. It was his first experience with rejection, and it felt...odd. What now? Give up? Force her to understand how he felt? But that would suggest she _didn't _know how thoroughly mortifying it had been for him to confess his interest for a girl. And was she worth his trouble, and further humiliation? How did one even measure a girl's worth beyond their pounding heart and shallow breathing? It was completely unfamiliar, and launched him into a level of vulnerability that he had never endured in his life.

Teeth grit, Sasuke climbed to his feet and dropped from the rooftop, landing onto the ground without a word.

Why did her pathetic attempts to dismiss him leave him so damaged inside?

Hands shoved in pockets, Sasuke left the property, only vaguely aware that he was being followed. It was Kasai, and he was impressed that when he glanced over his shoulder he saw not a swoosh of black – but he could sense her. He didn't know how, but he could feel her presence. ...Kasai's? Or someone else's?

Activating the sharingan, Sasuke surveyed the surrounding trees, his body tensing when someone touched his shoulder. He quickly spun around, his red eyes meeting white ones.

Mirai Hinata wasn't anything like her counterpart.

Though the presence of the sharingan was a sign of hostility, she seemed unfazed. Her lips were parted, her face apathetic, and her pale eyes indecipherable, seeming more like Neji's than her counterpart's. The woman was beautiful, even more so than the young Hinata, but she wore coldness to accompany her confidence.

"You two know each other," she said, her tone perplexed. "You and the other Hinata."

It wasn't a question. Had she seen them on the roof? "Aa," said Sasuke. "Why are you following me?"

He wanted to know something worthwhile – something that could dispel his uncertainties once and for all.

"I want you to watch her," said Mirai Hinata. "Don't let her get away."

What did that mean?

Before he could stop her, the woman pushed passed him, took to the trees, and disappeared.

* * *

The young Sasuke and Hinata knew each other, which was an oddity. It was premature, and it was...interesting.

The next afternoon Mirai Hinata reluctantly acknowledged that she had done something wrong. The young Sasuke was her precarious trump card, because it was the sixth day and the possibilities were endless.

But surely the seventh would not change. Her husband would make sure of that.

"All the pieces have to be in the right place," Mirai Sasuke reiterated. "This is how we originally met, Hinata. This will bring Kasai back."

_Pieces, _he called them. People were pieces_. There can be another way, _Hinata thought, sitting on the edge of her bed and staring at her lap.

"Overcoming this made you stronger," Sasuke continued, though both of them damn well knew she had never overcome it.

_I don't care if I stay weak forever._

"If we saved your counterpart, all of your achievements would be reversed," Sasuke said. "All your enemies would come back to life."

Hinata clenched her fists. **You don't know that.**

A simple remark. A bigger mistake than her last.

A miniscule implication that she was a potential threat to his mission. As small as it was, it was too much.

He glanced at her as she rose. "We came to save the future, not to change it. I can't allow you to interfere."

Hinata approached him, feeling intoxicated with depression and fatigue. "I understand," she assured him, ignoring the way her eyes burned. She reached up, holding onto his shoulders. "I...understand." Her hands slid up to cup the sides of his face.

But Sasuke was faster.

He caught her wrists and kissed her, deriving a muffled protest. Hinata felt herself being shoved backwards until she was pushed against the bed and Sasuke was crushing her. Her husband kissed her again before she could scream or fight. He pinned her arms at her sides as she struggled for freedom. Her energy failing her, the veins on her temples sank and her pupils rolled upwards-

Because Sasuke was a power-thief.

When she fell unconscious, he continued to drink her chakra, until her body was paralyzed, and she had little enough of keep her breathing.

But Hinata's ki would begin to replenish itself as the night progressed. He couldn't risk her regaining consciousness, so left her with only a drop.

After breaking the cold kiss, Sasuke pulled back and watched her for a while. He kissed her once more, lightly, sincerely, before climbing off the bed and exiting the room. His sharingan was blaring, and he couldn't have deactivated it had he tried. He had an excessive amount of chakra, _Hinata's _chakra, and it made him feel hot, and his heart to twist uncomfortably.

It also made him want to do something as maudlin as saying goodbye to Kesshi.

She had been playing with dolls, old ones of Hanabi's. The girl – a replica of his mother. It stunned him every time.

He'd never forget what he was about to lose, so he kneeled down to her level, wrapped his arms around her small frame, and assured her, for once, that he loved her.

With that, he left the room, unconsciously gripping the hilt of his sword, and awaited the day that would trigger the terrible future.

* * *

On the other side of the house, the young Hinata turned in her sleep that evening. She needed a plan, but was too terrified to think.

And she was running out of time. She opened her eyes, and focused them on the ceiling. It was probably ten o clock or so, the rest of the house was asleep, and she had, at most, a twenty-six hour window.

What would she do? Run away? How far? How long? Would her cruel fate be awaiting her when she returned to Konoha? Would she meet it outside of Konoha? She could find a protector, but who could she trust? _No one, no one..._

_Breathe, _Hinata told herself. She still had time. There was definitely time. She was in a ninja village, meaning if anyone assumed they could strike, it would have to occur after sundown. Twenty-six hours, or twenty-four, maybe. Twenty-two, twenty-one? When would it happen? She couldn't be alone!

_I'm always alone._

Beside her on the bed, Hanabi gasped. The girl sat up, disheveled but alert. "Did you hear that?"

Hinata nodded, climbing to her feet. Her legs felt like water, but she forced herself to move. She couldn't withdraw like a terrified animal. _There was still plenty of time_, and she was a _kunoichi, _not a _coward_. "I heard," she said.

A crash outside the bedroom...maybe down the hall.

It was probably nothing, just a broken dish or some other menial trial of overused eyes, but Hanabai, adventurous as always, decided to pursue it. A dutiful older sister, Hinata followed.

"It sounded like someone falling," the eleven-year-old said.

"Or Otousan just th-throwing something," Hinata said with a shrug as they walked down the hall, shrouded in shadows.

Their father's door was ajar, but the light was off. Hanabi swung it completely open, but Hinata didn't need light to decipher the hell within.

The Konoha/Kumo alliance was a great one, and one that was built wholly on lies.

The window was open, and Hiashi's body lay on its side beneath it. Gleaming blood poured from places, spurted from others, almost as though he was still alive.

But he wasn't alive.

A wet squelching noise indicated their father's last exhalation, a few blood bubbles popping up from his exposed trachea.

Their father's head...his head was upright and facing them, his eyes wide and staring. His mouth opened one final time, then hung slack to allow blood to trickle down his chin.

Directly across them in the dark room, a woman held their father's disembodied head by the hair. Hinata's white eyes slowly met dark ones, a masked face, and the hitai-ate of the Cloud village. Her stomach heaved, and she fought the urge to vomit, barely remembering to inhale – but she couldn't – didn't remember how.

Only vaguely, she noticed the Cloud kunoichi turn to the window and leap into the blue and black of Konoha's night.

What she hadn't expected was for Hanabi to follow her.

* * *

Something...wrong had happened. Something definitely..._wrong_ had happened.

Her body was ruined, her life – ruined, and her inner self was still pestering her – _constantly pestering her – _to ensure Kesshi's existence throughout the next two nights.

Kesshi was hers...and Sasuke's – _Sasuke's _– but inner Sakura didn't seem to care. She was willing to sacrifice Naruto for a child. Naruto, who they had once refused to surrender.

_A daughter,_ Inner Sakura pressed. _A daughter of our own._

What was she missing? What wasn't Inner Sakura telling her?

And when had her alternate's control become so...strong? When had Inner Sakura been given the right to damage the body they shared? Sakura clenched her fists.

"C'mon, we have less than an hour," said Naruto.

She blinked, recollecting her surroundings. She could barely see him anymore through the darkness. The trees enveloping Konoha offered it thorough concealment.

"Right," she said, continuing to move. They weren't far from the Hokage tower.

They walked by two teenagers. Pink and black hair.

The young Sasuke and Sakura, one yammering about blonde-haired nuisances as the other rubbed his temple. His weary demeanor somehow earned him a kiss on the cheek from his girlfriend.

No...that wasn't right.

_No one will remember Kasai, _Inner Sakura assured her. _When you return to the future, no one will remember that Kasai ever existed. You'll be with Sasuke – and Kesshi. The three of you will be a family._

It wasn't right at all.

"Shouldn't you be looking for Hinata?" Sakura called out to the teenagers.

As the two fifteen-year-olds looked up in surprise, her husband grabbed her arm and dragged her further into the darkness. "Stop playing around. We're going to be late," he hissed.

* * *

"Hanabi!"

She pushed her body forward, desperate to reach her little sister.

The thin girl was the embodiment of determination. She would not allow the Cloud to go unpunished, even if it meant putting herself in danger.

And Hinata...Hinata wasn't nearly as courageous. Admittedly, she wanted to collapse, cry, and mourn her father's death

Acknowledging it was painful, but it had been shoved in their faces. Their father, Kami – their father, he was-

She needed to reach Hanabi before she met the same fate. Not only was it her responsibility as the elder sister, but she loved Hanabi, and she would die if anything happened to her – so no matter how forcefully independent her sister behaved, Hinata would follow.

Her chest ached, her throat burned, and her heart felt that it would tear to shreds. Her face was raw, burning, but she pushed herself forward. Hanabi was always just out of reach. The girl's target, up ahead, was leading them toward the village gates. "Hana-!" Hinata cried.

Her sister was ruled by rage and malice, smashing through her obstacles, whether it was a post or a branch. There was no help in sight. Konoha was asleep.

Hanabi slipped through the village gates, running into the surrounding forest, her body like fluid. Within the layers of leaves, she became nearly invisible, and Hinata struggled to keep up. Hanabi was being dangerously compulsive, and Hinata had to reach her – _**had**__ to keep up! _She flew passed the gates, taking no notice of the boy who entered the clearing a second too late. She entered the dark forest, following the whistles of movement up ahead, the rustles of leaves, and Hanabi's soft footfalls, but her sister was still out of view. Panic had initially crippled her, but with a soft whisper of, "Byakugan," Hinata could suddenly see everything, even the unknown nin trailing her in the darkness. Before she could turn around, deliberate his intentions, or catch his attack, she was struck in the face-

-heard her nose crack. Felt bloody tears burn her eyes-

-and was knocked out of the sky. She cried out in pain, clutching her face and trying to breathe. She fell to her side and lethargically rolled onto her back, opening her eyes and searching for direction on the grassy earth.

There wasn't much she could see. Blurs of darkness...upon more darkness. "H-Hana..."

Someone climbed over her, but her mind and body were numb. She barely registered as he tore open her jacket. She felt the man straddle her waist and pull her torso off the ground.

"Sa-Sasuke..." she whispered.

She rather wished she had Sakura's ability to withdraw, feeling a soft kiss below her ear, one with just a hint of cruelty. Another, and another. They grew progressively more aggressive until they left bloody blotches across her neck. She grunted in pain; struggled for freedom. "Sasuke!"

But her cries for help were hollow against the night.

Another strike to her face, this one with his elbow. Another crack along the bridge of her nose. Another blotch in her vision, and another vein withdrawn from her temple, until the byakugan could no longer function, nor could the jyuuken, or any other Hyuuga technique.

Too dizzy to move, she felt her very first kiss press her lips. She clenched her jaw, but he forced his way passed it, found her tongue; teased it, bit it.

She wanted Mirai Sasuke to arrive, and she didn't know why him. She hated him-!

But there was something about him that she loved. He had warned her, and that was significant. He had _warned_ her!

Wouldn't he save her?

Had she been relying on him all along? Tears poured down her cheeks as she felt her captor rip open her shirt. The Cloud nin was eagerly working his way through her pants, continuing to claim her with nips and bites.

From the corner of her vision, she watched another man enter the clearing. A tall form, with a brawn build. Mirai Sasuke! Kami, it was him! He had come – she knew he'd come!

But the second man simply unbuckled his belt, tossed his foreign hitai-ate to the ground-

Muttered to his teammate that he wanted a go.

She felt her exposed legs touch the cool night air. Felt the man above her viciously jerk them apart.

It was midnight, and Hinata wanted to die.


	15. Interlude 1

To address your confusion, no, the rape didn't occur prematurely. The last chapter was "Day Six," and as of midnight, Hinata wasn't raped yet. She had originally assumed she would be raped on the night of "Day Seven," but it was actually early morning.

Neither of the characters attacking Hinata were Sasuke, Mirai Sasuke, or anyone else in the anime. Though I initially imply she was pleading with a "Sasuke," she was actually just calling for him. In her panic, Hinata was certain Mirai Sasuke had come to rescue her, but the second man who entered the clearing "tossed his **foreign** forehead protector to the ground," and muttered to his **teammate **that he wanted a go, meaning it was just another Cloud ninja.

I'm gonna spoil you, and admit this chapter is a flashback. In fact, every time a chapter is called an "Interlude" you are reading a flashback.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 1**

Sakura had asked him out on a late-evening date, one he'd do anything to avoid, even if it meant wandering the woods in the middle of the night.

At the age of fifteen, Mirai Sasuke rubbed his temple. Why couldn't anyone seem to understand that he hadn't an interest in girls? He hadn't an interest in life, for that matter, just incentive to leave, to wither, to die.

Why was he alive, again? What was the purpose of living after his life's ambition had been reached?

Sasuke stalked through the forest, eyes glowing as he searched for small animals to pick apart.

He was bound to the village, and it disturbed him. How were his shackles any different from the Hyuuga cursed seal? He was locked in Konoha's gates until the day of Tsunade's death, and he wanted _out_, if just to practice defiance.

There was a flash of light as a figure ran by a few yards ahead. He only caught it because the sharingan was activated.

White chakra.

A Hyuuga.

Only out of curiosity, Sasuke moved forward, spotting another figure fly by. The strides were barefoot. The bearing was female.

And he was becoming increasingly curious.

He took to the trees and moved toward the edge of the forest. The figures were nearing the gates, their chakras sporadically blaring. A person with natural blue chakra was up ahead, running away from the two Hyuugas. Just beyond the gates, two others were waiting.

Was it a trap, or an exercise, he wondered, reflecting that it was probably already near midnight. He dropped into the clearing, albeit reluctant to become involved. "Hyuuga-!"

"Hana!" a female voice interrupted him. She flew through the gates, and he was suddenly helpless.

Not that he considered himself helpless. He rather _hadn't_ wanted to help.

And yet, he stood there for a while, curious, and watching.

It wasn't far from the gate that blue and white clashed, just as he had expected. He watched the latter Hyuuga get knocked out of the sky, as the one up ahead continued through the forest. He didn't have the byakugan, but could see their vivid chakras – hear the scream.

He turned to leave. The fight was over-

A ripping noise.

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder, unaware that his sharingan was spinning.

He could hear desperate whimpers of protest and cries of pain.

Turning back to the gates, Sasuke walked passed them, and toward the wooden posts that marked the village border. He could hear the screams grow in volume with his each step forward. He stopped where he knew he had to, raised his hand, and slowly reached out to test his boundaries. As expected, his hand met the invisible wall. He heard the familiar static hum, felt pain radiate down his entire arm-

But he pressed harder, until he could smell his own skin burn. He raised both arms and slammed it, keen to finally break through-

It was no use.

It was just after midnight that he stood there, listening to the droning hum of electricity and inhaling the vapors of his own blood in the air.

* * *

Her screams had become melodious. How long had he been standing there, hands against the wall? His blood didn't roll along his barricade, but dripped to the grass, as though there wasn't anything dividing him from the girl he wanted to save.

He didn't know why he wanted to help her. He didn't even know who she was...but it was something he'd never allow to happen to Sakura.

The hum abruptly stopped and the pain in his hands mostly disappeared. Startled, he felt his hands meet air, and he moved slowly forward. Nothing was there.

Sasuke glanced at his wrists to find that the seals were gone. He had been released from the jutsu...but how? Was it Tsunade's doing?

He didn't have time to speculate any longer. The screaming had stopped. Had the Hyuuga been killed? He ran through the posts and disappeared into the forest.

* * *

The next morning Sasuke had taken a firm grip on her arm, ignoring her puffy eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. "Sasuke-kun, what-?"

"There's something I need you to see," he said, his hold on her wrist unconsciously tightening.

Sakura closed her eyes, shaking her head. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks. Sasuke had dragged her all the way from the Hokage tower to his apartment, but she couldn't determine why – and at such a critical time. "I need to get back Sasuke, _I need to-"_

He opened his door, and her words caught in her throat.

Sasuke lived in a studio apartment, the front door opening to the living room. His couch faced the door, and Sakura was startled by the sight of an unconscious girl curled upon it, blankets wrapped around her.

And there wasn't a bit of her face that wasn't marred. Her nose had been broken, resulting in a knotted bridge and two black eyes. Her face was a collection of cuts and bruises, injuries made predominantly by fingers and dull teeth. Her bottom lip was split, and her right eye was swollen shut – the majority of her face, in fact, was swollen beyond recognition. Red upon purple, purple upon black, strangle marks, bite marks; the girl had been brutalized.

Sakura mechanically approached, her legs numb beneath her. She had never handled this type of situation before. No one had ever presented her with such a circumstance.

But Sasuke had disappeared for three years. Did she even know him anymore?

Sakura closed her eyes, barely remembering to inhale. She was a medic, and the girl's face was broken, her body was broken – and she was obligated to measure the extent of her injuries, to _heal _them, whether or not she _wanted_ to confront them. "Sasuke," she managed to say, reaching the girl's side. She saw glossy black hair and it was frighteningly familiar. "Sasuke," Sakura repeated, and could say no more. She needed an explanation to determine whether her chakra would go toward healing or fighting.

She'd killed many shinobi for far less.

Sakura heard Sasuke stand beside her. "A Hyuuga," he said. "I...collected her from the forest last night. She was attacked by Cloud ninja."

Emerald eyes widened. Ninja of Kumogakure? She spun to face him. "They say the Hyuuga daughters are still missing-!"

"I know," Sasuke interrupted. "I think this is the elder. Hyuuga – Hinata?"

Paling, Sakura looked back down. The long hair, dark and trailing down her back. The distinctive frame, pale skin – how could she not have realized?

Her eyes returned to Sasuke's face, but he was staring down at the girl, arms folded across his chest. His hands were tense...bandaged, and his jaw was clenched. Upon noticing Sakura's stare, he lightly shook his head and relaxed his hands. "She struggles in her sleep...but she doesn't wake up."

Sakura nodded. Had he been watching her all night? "What happened?"

"I found her in the forest," Sasuke repeated impassively. "There were two others there." He didn't mention how they hovered over her, one attempting to take the eye that was too swollen to reach. "I killed them...but I shouldn't have. The alliance-"

"Was broken the moment Tsunade died," Sakura croaked. Raising her hands and trying not to hesitate, Sakura drew back the sheets covering Hinata. Her heart paused and her lungs heaved when her eyes met with the bloodied injuries. Sasuke turned away.

"Why didn't you take her to the hospital!" Sakura said.

"She doesn't need a doctor, she needs a medical nin, and all the damn medics are at-" he broke off as Sakura choked back a sob. The medics were gathered at the Hokage tower, offering their final regards to Senju Tsunade's corpse. Sasuke clenched his fists. "A doctor can treat this, but a medic can erase it. Do you think she wants the world to know – to watch and pity every step of her recovery? Her attackers are dead, their bodies were destroyed. You have to finish this Sakura."

The pink-haired girl wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "You don't even know her. Why do you care?"

He didn't know why he cared. Maybe it was because he had seen her broken, battered, bleeding. He'd carried her away, and felt her struggle in his arms, fighting and crying in her sleep. He'd held her close until she knew he wasn't her enemy. He'd felt her slowly come to trust him, felt her slowly hold him back.

"What if they left her with something," Sakura cried.

His chest tightened. _"Check."_

He knew he was becoming too involved, but it was too late to stop. He didn't want to stop.

Sakura deeply breathed. It wasn't Sasuke's decision, but it was her obligation to heal Hinata. The girl would have to carry the burden from there, whether or not Sasuke accepted it, because it could never be erased.

Hyuuga Hinata from her academy class – youngest, quietest – they'd had a few missions together in the past. Sakura still couldn't believe...Hinata, of all people, _Hinata._ She didn't deserve what had happened to her. It didn't make sense. It _shouldn't _have happened.

She raised her hands above the girl, a warm green glow bathing the injuries. She heard the heiress cry out in pain, but ignored it, just kept healing. The persistent green chakra continued to dive into her wounds, steadily erasing them from existence.

There was no physical record of what had happened, just her and Sasuke's forever disputable accounts. The only marks left on the heiress were dark bruises beneath her eyes where blood had pooled there throughout the night. It would clear up in a few days. Sakura watched Hinata, but the girl didn't wake up.

The pink-haired girl lowered herself to her knees, most of her chakra having been depleted during her task. _Dead or alive, _she wondered, panting. Hinata was beautiful. Would she recover or wilt like the other kunoichi broken by duty?

* * *

"Hanabi!" She awoke fighting her sheets, before collecting her whereabouts. She wasn't in the forest. She wasn't chasing Hanabi, or being- being-

Tears pooled in her eyes as she pulled the sheets closer. "Where-?"

"You're at my apartment," someone cut in. Hinata looked up, spotting the dark figure across the room. Uchiha Sasuke detached himself from the wall, and she felt her body begin to tremble. "I found you in the forest," he continued, watching her. "You're-"

"Where's Hanabi?" Hinata cried, her tears spilling onto her cheeks. She brought her hands to her face, forcing in sharp breaths of air between each sob. She needed to know Hanabi was safe above all else.

Sasuke blinked in mild surprise. Hanabi? The sister? He didn't know why he lied to her; didn't realize she'd hate him for it. "She's fine," she said.

The heiress nodded, sinking and seeming relieved, though he saw the pain in her eyes; watched her body violently shake. He approached, but didn't know why. What could he possibly do for her?

"Hanabi's fine..." Hinata repeated. "Okay..." She managed a small smile as Sasuke kneeled in front of her. She didn't acknowledge her fear of him. She was too tired to care. "Okay."

Sasuke grit his teeth. She was hysterical. He took her shoulder. "Just breathe."

He froze when the girl snatched a kunai from the holster on his leg. He caught her arm just before it could reach her throat. "Wait."

With his free hand, he reached behind him, withdrawing a shuriken from his weapons pouch. He released Hinata's arm to poise the star at his wrist. He wasn't as miserable as she was, but supposed his life was significantly less important. Experimentally, he flicked the shuriken, testing its sharpness against his flesh. He watched it flash, leaving a small cut beside his radial artery. "If you die, I die," he mentioned. "Tell me when you're ready."

She gripped the kunai with both hands, watching it shake in her clammy hands. "Why?"

He didn't know, and didn't answer. Perhaps it was his fondness for self-destruction.

He watched tears and sweat drip from the Hyuuga's chin. Her hand became limp and the kunai clattered to the floor.

Eying it, Sasuke tucked his shuriken back into his weapons pouch. He didn't retrieve the kunai from the floor, but left it there. It would keep the girl company as she deliberated her decision to die.

Straightening, he walked passed her and to the bed across the room. She could stay until she was ready to leave, but he was tired. He hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night. Collapsing to his bed and closing his eyes, he heard only Hinata's stifled sobs as he sunk into unconsciousness.

* * *

Sasuke looked very human when he slept.

No longer was he a missing nin, a criminal, or a traitor...just a boy whose eyebrows were relaxed and lips were parted. He had curled on his side, just like she did when she slept. He drew his sheets to his nose – just like her.

She wondered if he minded that she could see him so off guard.

His apartment was alarmingly tidy.

It was comfortable only in the physical sense, but she didn't think she could ever classify it a "home." It lacked personal components, and she suspected all his belongings would be readily sacrificed when necessary.

Except for that picture of Sasuke, Sakura, and...Naruto...on the bureau, Kakashi behind them and smiling with only his right eye.

Though the apartment had only a small clutter of rooms with few walls to separate them, she liked it. It was nice. It was private.

So why was she there? Had Sasuke really found her in the forest? Then what had he been doing there so late at night? Why couldn't he have been there sooner?

She shouldn't have been angry at him. They didn't even know each other. He had no responsibility to protect her.

She should have been able to protect herself. She should have been stronger.

Hinata choked back a sob. Her heart was racing, but she couldn't stop it, so lowered herself to the cushions, drew the sheets, and deeply inhaled, dousing herself in a familiar scent.

When her eyelids met, she shivered in her sleep. She was suddenly back in the forest, the bristled man upon her, tracing her skin with painful kisses, holding her neck, parting her legs-

She shot awake drenched in sweat, and attempted to collect her whereabouts, just as she would every night that she was alone for the rest of her life.

But she wasn't in the forest, and she wasn't alone. Someone's hand was...wrapped in hers. She looked down to see Sasuke seated on the ground, his back against the couch, his messy head touching her waist. He seemed unconscious, but one of his arms were propped up, his bandaged hand locked in her tense grip.

He couldn't have been comfortable as he slept there...he shouldn't have cared.

Hinata absently squeezed the hand in hers as she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

* * *

"My arm doesn't bend like that," he said when he awoke, half-lidded eyes affixed to hers. He plucked his hand away, far more gently than he could have, and bowed his head, if only to deviate from her empty stare. "It's night time. Let's go."

An offer to escort her. Rather, a suggestion that he would.

He was sending her home when she would have much preferred to drop dead.

Hinata climbed off the couch on weak legs. The sheets dropped to her feet and pooled around her ankles, allowing her to finally notice what she was wearing. Sasuke's shirt, Sasuke's pants, all baggy and slipping off her. She couldn't see the Uchiha fan, but felt it somehow burning the skin between her shoulder blades. She stepped out of the pile of sheets, holding the pants at her waist, and feeling the collar slip off her left shoulder. She listened to what seemed vaguely like an apology-

"Your clothes were torn."

She wished he hadn't said that.

It was cool outside, just like the previous night. Neither said a word as they walked by dimming lampposts, Sasuke's hands in his pockets, while hers arms were folded over her waist. Her trembling had returned, and was nearly debilitating. The world was wholly silent beyond their hollow footsteps, and each of their breaths seemed like a whisper as though she was being watched again. She wanted to activate her bloodline limit, but couldn't find the necessary focus or chakra. Sasuke seemed at ease, paying her no mind as they continued to walk, one step at a time.

It was so dark outside.

When she went home, her father would not be there. The elders would sneer and deem she was an animal, because...she was. No longer a virgin, she was...something disgusting, and was revolted in her own skin. She had been scared her rapist would kill her, but now she just wished he had.

She felt her feet stop moving and stared at the ground. Persistent tears dripped to her sandals, and she attempted to stifle her sobs with her hands. Why couldn't she stop crying?

She felt Sasuke's presence beside her, felt his stare on his head, but still nothing was said.

They stood there for minutes, maybe hours. She couldn't determine how long she remained there, frozen, crying, but the sun began to rise, and she'd never expected it would. She looked up to see that Sasuke was still beside her, hands pocketed, expression impassive. She looked passed him, and at her house, tall and proud as ever. But everything was different.


	16. The Seventh Day

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 16**

He was in the largest tree, knelt in a high branch, idly observing the chaos around him.

His eyes were narrowed and glowing, red as they traveled to each of the surrounding chakras. Though the forest was black, Mirai Sasuke could see everything.

His young alternate was prowling the grounds below him, just as history had predetermined he would.

But the young Sasuke was rushed, as though he was searching for something...someone. It was unusual. What did he know?

Mirai Sasuke turned away. It didn't matter. Tsunade's seal would keep his young self from interfering. He knew from experience it would.

And it would be horrible...it would be hell...

Mirai Sasuke dropped to a lower branch. He had to keep moving. He could already see Hyuuga Hanabi approaching the gates in the distance. His mission was to capture her before someone else could. Though the sisters were several meters away from him, he followed them through the forest. He leapt nimbly from branch to branch, keeping parallel to them – far enough to remain undetected and close enough to be able to intervene. Just before he could breach the village border-

Seals flared into existence on his wrists and ankles.

He collided hard with the scorching wall he'd endlessly dreamt of passing.

Mirai Sasuke dropped to the grass and stared up at the canopy of black leaves above him. His limbs trembled, refusing to collaborate with his mind.

He forced himself to his feet, his pulse pounding in his ears. He jerked down at his collar and stared at the character on his chest. Why had it returned?

Releasing his clothes, Sasuke stared ahead of him, at where he knew his barrier lay. Saving Hanabi – saving _Konoha – _depended wholly on Tsunade's death.

He couldn't be there – helpless, but present – because it was something akin to Itachi's mental torment. Reliving Hinata's torture was like doing it himself, because he could do nothing to stop it. He heard the young Hinata's first scream, and knew not whether to move forward or step back.

It was different this time. She was his _wife _this time.

_Hanabi, _he reminded himself. His goal wasn't to save Hinata, but Hanabi. He couldn't just stand there, useless, _listening_. Mirai Sasuke clenched his fists. **"Naruto."**

His inquiry was answered by a wave of Naruto's aura, but then a repression of it that felt like a perpetual pause. He was sure it would end, that he would be answered_, not ignored. _**Naruto! **But if he was Naruto's brother, Tsunade was Naruto's mother, and the man would never consider a request to let her die. Even if it was the answer. Even if Hinata was on the ground and screaming_-_

"Sasuke!" she cried.

It wasn't logical. Nothing made sense at that crucial moment. His resolve broke, as he'd always known it would. Mirai Sasuke closed his eyes. **Hinata.**

* * *

She raised her eyelids, not knowing what had awoken her.

Mirai Hinata turned onto her side. Her husband had stolen her chakra, all but a drop.

But a drop was just enough for what she had in mind. She glanced at the clock. Just moments till midnight-

-and forced her body into a sitting position, leaning on her arms despite the way they shuddered and threatened to give way.

**Hinata.**

It was him. She bit her bottom lip, staring blankly at the wall as she concentrated on responding. **Sasu...ke.**

**You're fast enough. I need you to reach your sister.**

Her vision began to focus, and she lifted her eyes. **Reach...Hanabi?**

She climbed to her feet and staggered to the window with her arms outstretched around her. She gripped the frame just before her legs could buckle. **I love you, **she assured her husband, raising one of her shaking legs to the ledge.

**I love you, **Sasuke countered. **I need your help. **The desperation was present in his tone.

Her expression apathetic, and her body reluctant to humor her commands, Mirai Hinata climbed onto the window ledge, messy hair hanging in her face.** I love you, **she repeated, and leapt into the night.

* * *

The young Sakura had asked him out on a late-evening date.

And the young Sasuke had accepted, contrary to Mirai Sasuke's decision ten years prior.

"_Shouldn't you be looking for Hinata?" _Mirai Sakura had interrupted, just before Mirai Naruto could drag her off toward the tower.

Again and again, the words echoed in his mind. The pink-haired future woman was a prophet of sorts, and she suggested he was supposed to be with Hinata – _not Sakura _– and at that moment? _Why, _that moment?

What did he have to do with Hyuuga Hinata? Why was he constantly being pushed toward her, unintentionally _and_ deliberately? By Kakashi, Mirai Sakura, Mirai Hinata...Kasai herself...

And he needed Kasai. He needed the girl's mother, and it _had _to be Sakura. It simply...made sense.

Oblivious of why he'd dismissed himself from his date and took to stalking the woods that evening, the young Sasuke felt himself becoming increasingly anxious. And he didn't know why he chose to search the forest rather than the Hyuuga compound, but he could...sense her.

He could follow her chakra, which was utterly insane, because it _was not _among his abilities. He could almost _feel _the heiress...almost hear her...

And then her really could. Through the woods he could hear the sounds of her crying._ Screaming. _Clothes tearing; _bones cracking._

He stormed through the gates, shoving the barrier, which was stubbornly reliable. He pressed his hands against it, listening to it crackle, feeling his skin burn just as he was forever destined to.

He heard Hinata plead with her attacker. He could hear her sobs, feel his own skin crawl, _hear her cry his name._

His chest heaved, and he pressed forward, even despite the hopelessness of the situation. He raised his fists, attacking the wall, his grunts of pain soon exceeding her screams.

But precious seconds quickly became minutes, and he was impotent. Why was he fighting – hurting himself – when he knew he had already lost?

His eyes were wide, crimson tomoe spinning wildly within them. His knuckles were raw, and bleeding, all layers of skin having been burned off them.

But he had to reach her. There was no other option. Being bound by Tsunade's seal was _no longer an option._ Reaching the Hyuuga heiress rested in his priorities alongside breathing, because she was _Hinata, _and he – fucking – _had _to reach her.

He bled and panted, each draw ragged as he continued his assault with his mangled hands. He was barely conscious of the burning sensation behind his neck, or the muddled markings crawling across his face.

He'd never mused upon whose seal was stronger. Whose _influence _was stronger.

_Tsunade's or Orochimaru's?_

Though he had vowed never to use the cursed seal again, he succumbed, unconsciously..._eagerly_; feeling his body bulk and canines lengthen; watching his skin tone deepen to shades of gray. He challenged the wall again, pressing it with blackened claws.

And felt himself breach it for the first time in his life. Slowly, he pulled the barrier apart, golden eyes weary but obsessed. _Hinata._


	17. Interlude 2

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 2**

By the age of sixteen, Mirai Sasuke had developed an appreciation for life.

He didn't know why...it was hard to express...but what had been impotence and melancholy had become curiosity.

_So the Hyuuga was finally let out of her cage, _the onlookers would murmur.

Her hair was yet longer. Her eyes had become void and stony, and she always seemed to know when he was watching her.

With or without the byakugan, she catalogued every creature around her. Hinata was significantly stronger, but more importantly, she had partaken in a unique training regiment. He saw it when she sensed hidden poisons even Kiba wouldn't have caught. And he saw it when she reacted to even the faintest rustle of leaves.

It was only on one occasion that he surrendered to her perception, dropping from a tree branch behind her. It was the ironic that they had been assigned a mission together.

Both team seven and eight had disbanded following Tsunade's death. As chunnin, their grouping was determined by how their abilities corresponded.

He watched Hinata's turned back as they continued through the forest. They hadn't said a word to each other since departing the village.

"I hate you," she mentioned.

And with that, the silence was broken. After a year, it was her first regard.

He remained indifferent, not knowing why he bothered to disagree. "I saved your life," he said coolly. "I saved your eyes – your identity."

She turned swiftly to face him. "That wasn't enough!"

Her dark hair hung in livid eyes. Her face was flushed in vehemence.

Sasuke simply observed, allowing his apathy to feed her anger.

"I hate that you _didn't _save me. I hate that you lied to me – about Hanabi. She wasn't all right. She's _not _all right. And I hate that you were the one who was there – that anyone was there at all – that you s-saw me like that!"

Her composure was crumbling, and it was so easy.

_It's been a year..._ he mused.

But maybe withdrawing into her family had left her naked to the world.

He saw her, sometimes, with Kiba and Shino. They knew she was different, that her father had died – and they knew what had happened to Hanabi, but only by physically seeing it for themselves. Kiba and Shino didn't know about the events that had preceded it, the things that had transpired on the night of Tsunade's death that _weren't _accounted for in Konoha's history. As far as the villagers were concerned, one of Hyuuga Hanabi's missions had gone terribly awry.

_And that was how Hinata preferred it._

She was doing for her sister what he'd done for her. But wasn't it a mistake? Hinata had become shockingly withdrawn.

Sasuke pocketed his hands. _Che. _"I hate you too."

Maybe he pitied her. Maybe he harbored a demented attraction to pain – or how her mind had been focused on her sister – not herself – the moment she'd awoken from her hell. Her disturbing level of selflessness, and her refusal to die if it meant he would follow just to spite her.

"Why didn't you leave me there?" she wanted to know.

_I'm human, _he thought, but he didn't respond. He was human even if the world didn't know it.

He dismissed the question, glaring at her. "Your decision to follow your sister was a stupid one."

He saw none of the tears he had anticipated. "And yours to follow me?" Hinata returned.

Sasuke watched her approach. He hadn't thought she had the nerve.

"Why did you save me?" the Hyuuga repeated, as though she had wanted to know for the past year.

"I don't know." They were suddenly face to face.

"But _I _need to know..." she said, her voice finally breaking.

Her question was irrational, but had that persistent, underlying meaning.

_Why couldn't you let me die?_

Sasuke clenched his jaw, watching her. She refused to back down.

But he didn't mind.

A flash of metal. Flecks of blood.

Hinata leapt into a tree branch, kneeling down and clutching her face.

A senbon glinted between Sasuke's fingers. "What are you going to do about it?"

* * *

Their mission ended with staggering efficiency.

"You work well together," Kakashi said upon their early return.

If only he knew it was anything but the contrary.

Then maybe he wouldn't have put them together again, and _again._

But Sasuke stopped watching the Hyuuga, disturbed by what she had become. A shell of who she had been. Was it that pity that made him contemplate about her? Sometimes his mind lingered on her for too fucking long.

The cut he'd placed on her cheek didn't leave a scar, but surely she hadn't forgotten it. She didn't look at him during their latest mission together. She didn't look at Naruto either.

But the blonde was sympathetic like everyone else. Hinata was clearly distraught over her father's death – over the injuries her sister had sustained on mission, and maybe stressed out from the pressure of her impending promotion.

"There's a spare bedroom," Naruto said that evening. It was late, and they had found an abandoned cabin to camp out in before they resumed at dawn. "You should have it, Hinata-chan," he said. "I'm sure you could use the privacy."

The heiress froze, her eyes widening. The three had been in the process of unpacking their mats in the living room – a row of three, as usual. They had been together almost constantly for the past week. It was an A-class mission, and they weren't allowed out of each other's sight.

Sasuke watched Hinata open her mouth and stare at the floor. Her hands shook as she clutched her mat.

She was scared of being alone.

"We're not allowed to separate," Sasuke cut in. The Hyuuga looked up, meeting his eyes with her startled ones. "You'll stay with us."

He watched Naruto scowl, peeved that he'd been overruled. Hinata returned her full attention to the floor, continuing to meticulously unwrap her mat.

Sighing in exasperation, Naruto plopped onto his, burying himself in dusty sheets. Sasuke momentarily watched the two before pocketing his hands and exiting the cabin, unaware of how her shaking worsened.

He knew Naruto was too accustomed of his hypocrisy to find the energy to complain. The blonde had other things on his mind, like his own looming advancement.

Sasuke walked onto the cabin's crude wooden porch, leaned on the railing and stared vacantly into the night; trying to gather his thoughts but trying not to think of _her_.

He heard the door open behind him and glanced over his shoulder.

Her stupidity was irritating. Consistently, she followed people into traps.

Because he was anything but good company. "Had I known how damaged you'd become, I would never have bothered," he confessed, not looking at her. "I would have left you to die."

He listened to the Hyuuga stand beside him.

"I don't feel anything," she breathed.

Sasuke looked down at her. Hinata's eyes were closed, but she seemed contented with his admission.

"I don't know who you are, or why you did the things – that you did, and I can't feel anymore, and it's – it's your fault."

"Aa," he agreed, submitting to her.

She was dead anyway.

Hinata drew and exhaled. "And I can't l-love anymore," she continued. "Because...because _he_ will n-never understand me – the way you did that night."

She opened her eyes, revealing their wetness under the light of the moon. She didn't try to hide it. Her arms hung listlessly at her sides, fingers hidden in her too-long sleeves. She looked just as helpless as she had that morning he'd escorted her home. And he stood beside her, just as stationary.

She suddenly threw herself into his arms. Or maybe he drew her there. In a single instant, she was pressed to his chest, wrapped in his hold, and neither knew who had initiated it first. Neither knew who had surrendered first. Her small hands clutched the back of his shirt.

It formed a connection he'd never had; a level of intimacy that was alien to him.

He held her back, if only out of instinct. He held her tightly, the way he had when he'd gathered her from the forest.

It didn't feel unnatural.

Sasuke inhaled. "You're a liar," he said, as she cried into his chest.

* * *

She trusted him. He was potentially the only person she wholly trusted at that moment.

It left him numb, but he was good at keeping it to himself.

"You're the same as me," she said, staring at the ceiling, her cheeks wet and her sobs beginning to yield.

_The same, _in the sense that Konoha wasn't relevant. _No one _was relevant, because no one knew them quite the way they thought.

Sasuke glanced at her from Naruto's other side. "I'm nothing like you," he said impassively.

The blonde was sprawled between them. Whether he was asleep or just pretending to be, he left them mostly ignored.

"I'm alive," Sasuke continued. "I'm still in Konoha. I have _purpose." _He paused, observing her glassy eyes, sleepily transfixed to everything above her. "And I'm not going to pursue a relationship with a suicidal girl."

Her face flooding with surprise, she abruptly sat up.

...and it was the first time he'd seen her blush.

He sat up as well, if just to eye her, but found himself staring, for moments, and then...scores of moments.

And when they hung in that silence, staring at each other, and finally Naruto's snores had grown to be suspiciously pronounced, Sasuke glanced away. "You have feelings," he accused.

He watched Hinata duck under her sheets-

Reflected that she was strange, then returned to his.

* * *

They continued missions together, but with considerable less hostility. Naruto would join them on the occasions he wasn't otherwise occupied, and Sakura, scarcely. She had taken up a lot of Tsunade's slack, and most of her time was spent at the hospital. Naruto privately vowed to take that burden from her, but was never to truly succeed.

And Hinata...Hinata was making an effort, as feeble as it was at times. It was outlandish that she'd taken counsel from _him. _She was quiet at times, but forced herself to be vocal. Still she had those large eyes that seemed only innocent. Those pale lips, always pressed into a frown.

They had adapted to their informal partnership without much complaint. Occasionally, they'd exchange curt nods on the particularly long missions, or go over routes and tactics with a strange detachment.

Kakashi soon noticed their borderline awkwardness, and began to suggest they were a couple.

He wasn't worth protesting, Sasuke decided. It would just make his visible eye crinkle, the way it did when Shikamaru and Temari threatened his life. Hinata, too, remained wordless, and looked anywhere but into the scarecrow's keen eye.

By the time he was seventeen, despite the monotony of missions...Sasuke didn't mind them. He didn't mind Hinata, despite how...strange she was.

"Ano..." she said one evening, "I like you."

He looked up.

"You're – nice," she finished lamely, staring at her knees.

Sasuke too glanced away, not knowing why.

The sun had lowered, and Hinata sat on the ground on the other side of the fire. Her knees were drawn up, her arms wrapped around them.

Sasuke felt his previous level of comfort slowly shrink away. Snuffing out the shock, he looked back at her, surprised that she met his eyes. Still, her expression was blank, her eyes reflecting the flames between them. She seemed collected. She had been prepared.

"Why?" he said.

He watched Hinata grit her teeth, smiling almost angrily. "You're nice," she repeated, seeming immensely uncomfortable. "And you're – v-very – handsome."

But that was all meaningless. He watched the Hyuuga absorb his incredulous expression, before she drew a deep breath.

"My purpose – is to be with you," she said.

He continued to stare. He has advised her to find purpose, and she had returned with something so simplistic...so complex – so inane, or _insane_, he couldn't tell which.

"That's it?" he said dryly.

He saw Hinata blush for the second time in his life. What had been a stark apathy had become a _girliness_; a _naturalness _he simply didn't associate with Hyuugas. She looked human for once. It made him swallow.

"Some goals lead up to others," she said feebly.

And he himself was beginning to feel warm. "Oh?"

Her eyes flitted downwards again. "My purpose can expand to things like – keeping you. To making you happy, and – making you like me the way I like you."

_Too late._

They sat there in a frozen silence, the firelight illuminating their bemused faces. Finally, Sasuke bowed his head, allowing his long bangs to hang in his eyes.

"No."

He didn't look at Hinata or see the way her eyes snapped up; the way her face fell, producing an expression even more vulnerable than the last.

She couldn't rely on him for a reason to live-

_...despite that she might have been his..._

-because – he wasn't reliable at all. He was selfish. His life was a steady medium.

She was barely hanging on.

And he _wasn't _dependable. He wasn't there to prop her up. He couldn't be her _purpose, _because it was just a _bad _one. And what of when he failed her, like he knew he would, like he very well _planned _to.

She was still so fucking unwell.

He looked up, observing her parted lips, her helpless, broken expression.

"I'm not nice," he mentioned, standing.

He withdrew to his tent as Hinata stared into the flames.

* * *

She shifted a lot in her sleep. Sometimes he could hear her cry out from the tent beside his. He never intervened. Dreams were just dreams.

And he was too involved as it was.

He wondered if she would become cold toward him again. If they were back to where they had been a year ago.

_What is this? _he wondered, staring at the cloth ceiling. Why was he trying to fix her? He could have very well accepted her, _controlled her, _allowed her to become slowly obsessed with him, as he rather wanted to experience that numbing connection again-

Instead, he had refused her, as though there was any hope she'd ever get better. As though her life wasn't a mechanical consciousness, and as though her death wouldn't be by her own hands. Emotionally, she lived in limbo. With or without him, she would lose either way.

So why not take her for a brief ride? Watch her flutter, crash, sink, struggle, lose herself all over again.

But how much satisfaction could he draw from that? Seeing decadence embodied; drawing himself back into it...

Sasuke continued to stare at the tapering ceiling of his tent.

He didn't want to see Hinata decline.

She had devised a purpose – as much as it unnerved him – she had placed a purpose where she had been previously barren. Was that not progress? Was his unease just controlling his understanding?

Sasuke turned onto his side, closing his eyes. He played her words in his head again. Scrutinized them. Dissected them.

_My purpose is to be with you._


	18. Interlude 3

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 3**

Naruto and Sasuke dodged as a wave of white chakra plowed through the forest sending shredded leaves and splintered wood in every direction. Dozens of birds fluttered from the surrounding trees, and were followed, alas, by a merciful bought of silence.

Hinata's satisfaction, however, was again short lived. Catching her breath, she watched as several more shinobi crept into the clearing to reinforce their fallen comrades. She, Naruto, and Sasuke were severely outnumbered, but her teammates didn't seem to mind. The Uchiha drew his blade as Naruto curled his claws. They launched themselves at the Grass ninja with bloodlust to rival theirs.

Deflecting stray weapons, Hinata withdrew from the battle. As chakra-consuming as her technique was, it was efficient. She just needed to get higher.

She leapt from branch to branch, circling the clearing as her eyes sought out a perch. Dozens of weapons were pelted toward her, but she twisted away from them with grace and agility one could only inherit from Hyuuga. Her aggressors proved only to distract themselves from the battle, and to make their executions all the more prompt.

Hinata chose a destination and continued toward it until the branch was just across from her a few yards away. She leapt for it, arms outspread.

She enjoyed the way air buffeted her face, drawing her hair back as though by somebody's fingertips. Her eyes drifted to the ground, curious of the others. She saw Sasuke slice at veins and arteries like he could see them the way she could.

Hinata snatched for her branch, to miss it by inches.

She choked, tasting blood in her mouth, and belatedly realized she'd been struck. Numbed by shock, she fell from the air, clutching her abdomen and bracing for impact with the ground.

_...How would it feel? _Her body relaxed to a diver's sprawl, and she watched the coarse earth near.

Someone messily stole her from the air. Someone, with an extraordinary talent for speed, who reached her in the seconds any other would have failed. Together they fell through a gale of foliage and slammed to the ground, the trial ended as quickly as it had begun.

There was a foreboding pause as displaced leaves fluttered down to their bodies. Another moment passed, after which Hinata reluctantly coughed, petulant about her error. She lifted her face from Sasuke's chest. His eyes were squeezed shut, and his teeth grit from the impact. The air had probably been knocked from his lungs, and maybe she would have urged him to breathe if she wasn't certain he very well knew how.

Grunting in pain, she tried to climb off him, only to notice one of his arms clamped around her waist. Sasuke noticed, and arduously released her, his arm moving as though it was stone.

Hinata rolled onto the grass, and could do little more than curl onto her side, feeling blood trickle through her fingers. She wondered whether Sasuke was hurt. She opened her eyes to slits.

The two were enclosed in the forest, narrow strips of light shining down on them wherever sunset managed to slip through the leaves. Naruto was nowhere in sight, but others were likely to have seen where they'd fallen.

She watched Sasuke too open his eyes, adorning fatigue and reluctance to mirror hers. They stared at each other, and finally, she heard him inhale.

With her eyes half lidded, her body limp, and her face nuzzled by the cool grass, she watched Sasuke force himself to recover. Like a machine, he propped himself onto one of his elbows, his free arm reaching behind him to draw his sword. Maybe he, too, had heard the rustling sounds of approaching bodies. Soon enough, a multitude of kunai rained down on them, glinting beautiful silver, as if to conclude the perfect fall.

"Hakke Hasangeki!"

Another whirlwind of chakra assaulted the forest, and a dozen Grass nin were blown from the trees. Finally feeling the extent of her blood loss, Hinata lowered her hands and began to sink, but Sasuke caught her arm. He climbed to his feet, and jerked her up with him, ignoring her pained protests as he pulled her against his shoulder. She held onto him, trying to stay upright despite the fact that she might have been fainting. "Let's go," he hissed, and they took to the trees.

* * *

Sasuke was not hesitant to leave Naruto behind. He knew the blonde could handle himself.

Unlike her.

"Your technique slowed you down," he said with painstaking indifference, which consequently wasn't indifferent at all. She thought he'd follow up with something else, like reassurance or criticism, but his comment hung in the air.

They had managed to escape to a clearing several kilometers away. Sasuke had lowered her to the ground at the base of a tree, then knelt down to survey her wound. With a strange, artificial detachment, he opened her vest and drew her shirt above her abdomen. He came upon more blood than he'd expected. "Take it off."

She complied, trying not to move more than necessary. Her arms trembled, but she'd credit it to shock. When she was finished, she was left with only slacks and a bra on, and her body felt warm despite everything contradicting it.

Sasuke's eyes remained on her midsection. It was nothing he hadn't seen before. He examined the wound, ensuring the assault hadn't breached an artery, before reaching into the backpack beside him to withdraw a coil of bandages. He began to bound the wound, wrapping his arm around her shoulders when he needed to reach behind her. Hinata squeezed her eyes shut and grasped one of his arms. Whether for physical support or emotional, he couldn't determine and couldn't care.

A man suddenly burst into the clearing. Sasuke and Hinata looked up, startled that neither of them had noticed his approach.

Naruto held a tree, gasping for breath. His eyes were still a blazing crimson from the fight. In his voice was that universal concern he would never exhaust, "Hinata, are you al-?"

The Hyuuga instantly recoiled, bowing her head and wrapping her arms around herself. Sasuke stiffened as the bandages he had placed moistened with blood.

"D-don't look at me!" she cried.

Sasuke fell speechless. He tried to make sense of the situation. "She's fine," he said blankly.

There was a brief silence behind him. "Okay – right," said the blonde.

Sasuke listened to Naruto leave, and watched Hinata lift her tear-streaked face. He met her eyes for the first time since their retreat, and stared into them with something akin to shock.

He hastily returned to the wound, working quickly, and with far less grace. He jerked at the bandages, binding them tightly. She winced at his roughness as he finished.

"Put some clothes on," Sasuke said, standing and leaving her with the backpack.

Feeling suddenly cool and clammy, Hinata watched him exit the clearing to join Naruto. There was a muttered exchange between them, but she could discern words that should have been intangible sounds. They wanted to make camp because of her injury.

Hinata pulled on a fresh shirt as she heard the men start back. When they entered the clearing together, she was prepared for their proposition.

"We're camping here for the night," Naruto announced. He leaned over the backpack beside her to pull out their mats but never bothered to meet her eyes. He straightened and set them up in a neat row: hers, Sasuke's, then his.

"And we're going to scout," Sasuke said from the edge of the clearing.

"We'll be gone for ten minutes at best. We're just going to circle the area," Naruto reassured. He started toward the Uchiha, finally throwing her a backwards glance. "Will you be okay?"

His geniality never tired. She would grow fond of it again in the coming years.

Hinata stared at the ground. "Hai," she whispered.

There was a swoosh of air to mark their departure. Hinata waited a moment before planting her hands on either side of her. She forced herself to her feet, trying her best to muffle her pained grunts.

Hunched slightly, she moved toward her mat, ignoring the way the world shifted and swam around her. When she reached her it, she lowered herself to her knees and reclined, not bothering to remove her sandals. She grabbed a sheet Naruto had left there and pulled it over herself. Her eyelids suddenly felt very heavy.

But she couldn't sleep. Not until Naruto and Sasuke returned.

Rustling noises reigned free. Weak as she was, it was impossible to determine harmless sounds from dangerous ones.

Hinata closed her eyes, ignoring the shivers that crawled along her limbs. She waited for five, then what had to be ten minutes. Then Fifteen. Twenty. Maybe something had happened. Maybe she should have gone with them.

But that was stupid. She had already compromised the mission by getting injured. Her company scouting would just further hamper her teammates. They could have very well left her behind, but their laws of ethics somehow disagreed. But they should have. Theoretically. Logically. To be a true shinobi, emotion shouldn't have played an influence.

She felt her shaking progressively worsen, until it was violent and uncontrollable. Hinata turned onto her side. She didn't want to fall asleep, alone there.

She squeezed her eyes shut when she heard people enter the clearing from behind her.

Naruto's relaxed mannerisms, and Sasuke's steady footfalls. She listened to them pause, as though to observe her tense form.

She kept her eyes closed, tried to sleep, and to hide from any signs of their disapproval.

She heard Naruto move toward his mat, and Sasuke follow, but the Uchiha stopped beside her. She heard – felt, him kneel down, touching her shoulder if just to make sure she knew he was there. She hadn't expected him to do that. She was certain he despised her.

But he didn't release her shoulder.

Her eyes snapped open when she felt him lower himself to the mat behind her, his body against hers. She stiffened as he wrapped his arms around her, carefully avoiding her wound. His face lowered to her hair, and she heard him take regular draws, as though the gesture wasn't unusual at all; as though he might have been sleeping there, wearing his weapons, and armor, and holding her.

She lay there in panic, her draws too shallow to be sufficient.

But with Sasuke's increasingly long breaths, and her increasingly heavy lids, Hinata slowly relaxed, as did her trembling.

Naruto said nothing as he climbed onto his mat.

* * *

"Che, I knew you two were dating." He smirked sedately.

Sasuke opted not to respond, but stared into his drink. Another remark, and he would surely have to consume it.

"No, _really, _Sakura. They've been getting cozy on missions..."

_Because when he was beside her she didn't shake as much. And because her shaking annoyed him..._

Sakura could only stare, looking baffled. An smile formed on her lips. "Sasuke, Sasuke," she scolded, jokingly shaking her head.

Her grin didn't extend to her eyes.

An engagement party was the last place Sasuke had expected to spend his weekend, but he had been invited, and was therefore required to attend. He, among the three being called _the new sannin. _And Naruto, who was being groomed to take the Hokage title in another year or so.

Sasuke glanced at Hinata, who was seated with some relatives several tables away. She too stared into her glass, looking up only when the conversation was directed toward her.

He had caught her in the forest out of instinct, just as he would have for Naruto or Sakura. He had tended her wound because she couldn't have done it herself. It hadn't mattered. He had seen her unclothed before.

But it had been very different before. She had been beaten, and broken, and scarred. Now he perceived her body in a different sense.

He was sick.

Because she was a victim. He knew it, Sakura knew it, and Hinata herself knew it.

Sasuke raised his drink to his lips.

Contrary to popular belief, their eyes never once met across that crowded room.

* * *

Most of the guests filtered out of the Hyuuga house as the party diminished, but Naruto hung around in hopes of catching the honorable couple with an awkward conversation. Sakura stuck by Naruto.

With Hiashi's death, no one had a say in who Neji dated, except for the elders, who he treated with such a gargantuan impotence, it somehow stuck.

At the age of eighteen, Neji was due to be married, and Sasuke was...relatively confused.

Most people suggested Neji's relationship was a just a sexual swindle, but the bride and groom to-be seemed awfully polite toward each other. Sasuke watched the straight-faced Neji opt to kiss his fiancé's hand rather than her lips. Ino, in turn, blushed demurely.

"These relationships no longer surprise me," Naruto whispered conspiratorially. "I don't know where they come from, but if Gaara proposes to Kiba's mom, I will not be surprised."

"It's such an act," Sakura snorted dismissively. "I saw them making out by the lake."

"Politics," Sasuke muttered, something in his mind finally _clicking_. Ino was facing a promotion in the Torture and Interrogation Force. She'd be at Ibiki's right, and the first in line to succeed him.

Regardless of which theory held, Neji and Ino's relationship was never going to be taken seriously. Ever.

"Let's go talk to them." Naruto grinned, grabbing Sakura hand and dragging her off to Neji's table. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Naruto and Sakura were always together.

Someone slid into Naruto's empty chair.

It was Hinata, which was fine, but it was in a completely different context from what he was accustomed to. Though her dark hair was so straight and so long, making her look as regal as ever...the word "pretty" couldn't describe her.

She was wearing a formfitting silk black dress, with spaghetti straps and a V-neck, not very low cut, but _low enough. _The asymmetrical hem went to her knees, and the attire was fairly modest, but to him...to him...

_She has large breasts,_ was the first thing Sasuke noticed about Hinata in that dress.

And that evening she was entirely collected. "You like me."

Sasuke grasped for his drink.

Because when she was _her, _he was the opposite, and only one of them could take that leading role, but she _wasn't _being her, and he wasn't being him. He appreciated her vulnerabilities, if just because they made her human.

He processed her accusation. He had entertained the prospect of pursuing a relationship with her. He had held her three times, and thrice more than he'd held anyone else in his life. So maybe he _did_ like her.

That didn't mean he wanted her.

"You're at the top of my list," Hinata said.

"List?" Sasuke said, so she would stop talking _at _him.

"My list of 'purposes.' I'm collecting them."

Sasuke eyed her. "You mean a list of reasons not to kill yourself?"

She faltered, then took Naruto's unfinished wine glass. "Un," she agreed.

Sasuke continued to watch her.

"To be with you," Hinata said, awkward under his scrutiny. "To watch over Hanabi. To inherit my clan and eliminate the branch house. To become _me _again. Ano – to become a jounin."

This piqued his interest. "You're being considered for the ANBU."

"I just – want to be a jounin," she responded inelegantly. "I like children."

It was the first fact he'd learned about her that wasn't relevant at all. It was simultaneously annoying and refreshing. "I hate children."

Hinata smiled slightly, her defenses lowering. "And there's a lot more on the list. I just – don't want to get cocky," she mumbled, glancing away.

He liked when she blushed...but he couldn't let _her _know he liked it, because then he just wouldn't like it anymore. On the other hand, it would probably make her blush even more...

He caught himself staring. "Are you really trying to buy me? To modify yourself every time I turn you down?" He reached out to steal back Naruto's glass, but Hinata caught his hand. Sasuke's eyes snapped up dangerously. Hinata's smile fell, but she didn't back down. For a while they remained like that, his arm suspended, fingers wrapped in her grip.

Sasuke tore his hand away, then snatched hers back, if just to assert his dominance. No one seemed to notice the aggressive exchange, just an intimate one, his hand caressing hers.

It lingered, and then...lingered.

They continued to stare at each other, until Naruto and Sakura returned and paused beside the table. Surprisingly enough, they ambled off again, as though deciding not to interrupt. Naruto threw him a knowing grin, and Sasuke sighed, releasing Hinata's hand.

He leaned close, to tell her, "You have everything to live for." He paused, enjoying her freesia scent, "But it shouldn't start with me." As he withdrew, he searched her face for traces of guilt, but her eyes were downcast and unreadable.

Hinata stood and walked away. He watched her exit the dining room and sighed again. _Stupid girl._

When Naruto and Sakura returned to their seats, they giggled amongst themselves and mostly minded their business. If Sasuke was getting along with girls, they _would not _interfere. The Uchiha stared peevishly into his glass for a while before pushing back his chair. "Goodnight."

"Ja."

He exited the dining room into a corridor and trailed outside where a few others were chattering. Night had settled in, and he'd long grown weary of the festivities. Sasuke stood on the veranda and pocketed his hands, feeling restless and not knowing why. Just when he'd decided to go home, he heard sniffling noises.

And they were distinctly hers.

He glanced at the few gossipers around him, before walking around to the side of the house, prompted mostly by annoyance, maybe. He climbed the wall to the roof, unaware that it would be their favorite meeting place for the next several years.

Hinata was seated there, her legs drawn and arms wrapped around them. Upon noticing him, she wiped her hand across her eyes. Sasuke approached, standing beside her. "What now?" he asked.

The heiress glared up at him. "I stop liking you."

"Hn."

He sat down beside her. Was she really just going to sit there crying? Like a teenage girl? His cheek twitched. "Is your whole life dedicated to feeling sorry for yourself?"

"Baka," she hissed.

"Teme," he corrected her.

Hinata again wiped her eyes. "All you do is remind me of what happened," she said, staring up into the night. "And conveniently enough, I-"

He kissed her.

* * *

Several months later, a mission brought them back to the abandoned cabin in the Wind country, now older, eroded by harsh seasons.

Throughout their several hours of travel, Naruto had snapped at them to "get a room," every time Sasuke and Hinata accidentally met eyes. Sakura was angry at Naruto, and he, in turn, was angry at the world. A jaded Sasuke decided to take Naruto's advice literally the twelfth time he had grumbled it.

He climbed off his mat and to his feet, offering Hinata his hand. She slowly took it, and Naruto could only stare at they withdrew to the spare bedroom.

The blonde rattled his fist and groused about their collective lack of parental guidance.

Hinata gently closed the door behind them.

It had become habit that she and Sasuke sometimes fell asleep on the roof together, that they woke up against each other, on that roof, or during missions, or wherever else their energy had exhausted. She slipped off her slacks then climbed into the bed. When Sasuke lay down beside her, he did exactly what he'd intended.

Slept.

And to him, it wasn't uncomfortable, or exhilarating, just _good._

He awoke to find Hinata awake, straddling him, her long hair hanging down to tickle his neck.

His weary eyes drifted to the window where sunlight streamed into the room. "Why now?" he wanted to know.

"I'm seizing the moment," she whispered back.

He assured her, "There will be more opportunities to fuck me, Hinata. Many more."

She grasped his collar. "I want this one."

As she leaned down to meet his lips, his hands slid along her thighs and up her hips, exploring her smooth, smooth skin.

She gave a convincing argument.

* * *

Several days later, he walked her back to her house, shrouded in an air of that strange, addictive ease. He was beginning to empathize with Neji's rationale, not that he'd ever let that on.

Hinata was clamped to his arm, more to embarrass him than anything else.

He didn't mind her, or the giggles that followed them whenever they crossed the village. They walked through the Hyuuga gates-

And his breath hitched in his throat. He paused to stare at the figure sprawled on the front yard.

Hinata released his arm and hurried forward.

Hanabi.


	19. Loose Ends

**Author's Note: **Though no one would be expected to notice this, in chapter one I mention that Mirai Sasuke "activated the cursed seal for the first time in ten years." Being that he's twenty-five now, this means he stopped using it when he was fifteen, obviously upon returning to Konoha following his time serving Orochimaru. To surrender it for ten years, and throughout Konoha's destruction, and who knows how many other battles, we can only assume this was a serious vow, and that activating the cursed seal would be the last thing to cross Mirai Sasuke's mind in _any_ situation.

His counterpart, on the other hand, seemed to make one exception.

Special shout-out to **Lems,** whose awesomeness knows know bounds. Check her out on devArt.

By the way, **this chapter is not an interlude, **and takes place following the events of chapter 16.

**The Chaos Theory**

By Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 19**

"Please," she cried, struggling for freedom. "Please-?"

She was mostly naked, and being touched in places no one had ever been allowed_. _Desperate sobs racked her body, but her captors ignored her, the one above licking her lips in preparation for another foul kiss. His hand slid slowly down her torso-

And she was suddenly splattered with blood.

Hinata's eyes widened as the Cloud nin's body sagged against her. Gasping for breath, she stared into his bruising face where his eyes had burst and blood poured from his mouth. Feeling her stomach heave, she spotted a new figure looming over her. This person was masked, grasping the back of the lifeless man's skull. The newcomer released the man, paying her no mind, but rounded on the second Cloud nin, stalking heavily toward him.

Long straight hair...rather like hers. A thin frame... Her savior was female.

Blood dripped from the woman's hands as the remaining Cloud nin backed away from her.

But the young Hinata's trust had long since exhausted. Managing to push the dead man off her, she climbed to her feet and ran as fast as she could, still shaking and crying; still begging the darkness for help. Her sense of direction surrendered in her panic, she smashed through leaves and branches, determined to escape, and yet determined she would be captured again. When finally she thought the forest would end, she slammed hard into another's body.

This figure was male, and potentially made of cement. He somehow remained grounded, catching her shoulders before she could collapse. She cried, fighting him and pleading that he release her, but all her efforts were again overwhelmed. He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her and pinning hers to her sides. He was unnaturally strong, and not a man, but a creature. Gray skin. Clawed hands. She remained frozen in his grasp, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

But she was relieved.

"It's me," he said hoarsely.

Sasuke's clothes. Sasuke's scent. The young Sasuke. _Her _Sasuke.

She clutched his shirt, watching as the dark gray slowly receded to the back of his neck, revealing skin that was pale white against the night. His body became thinner, and his claws shrunk away, but his hold on her never relaxed.

"Were you raped?"

She looked up from his chest, meeting his crimson sharingan. They glowed brightly in the darkness, tomoe revolving madly within them. Hinata drew a ragged breath. "No."

* * *

Senju Tsunade had originally died of her own technique. She had activated the genesis of rebirth seal one too many times.

Which wasn't to say she hadn't saved thousands with it.

She had simply exhausted her term as the village's protector. Cleared the way for someone new to step in. It was her duty. It was utterly natural that she would die that day amidst a rogue attack from the Cloud.

But Naruto disagreed.

One of the intruders kicked a chair aside causing it to smash into a wall. She grinned, cocky from their silence.

"Ninpo sozo saise," Mirai Sakura murmured.

Mirai Naruto looked up, startled by her haste.

The technique made her invulnerable, and maybe the Samui team knew it. Naruto watched them pale.

It was indulgent as it was reckless.

As those poisonous black markings crawled across her forehead, Sakura intercepted Samui's hurried attacks, but not by catching or dodging them. She took them, to the head. To the heart. The wounds smoldered and healed as quickly as they formed. Naruto bit his mouth and Tsunade stared.

Since his promotion, he had treated his wife as his bodyguard, and she had in turn, served as his protector. Neither knew how they had fallen into those roles. He was the seventh Hokage, Kyuubi's host, and conveniently enough, the most important person in the world to her. He was also a monument of several wars throughout Konoha's history. He had gone through hell and back for Sasuke. He understood why she would do the same for him. She would always protect him above all else. She identified him as a _piece _of her. If he wasn't whole, she might as well have been dead.

Naruto shoved Sakura aside, catching the latest of the assaults and cutting through them. His canines and fingernails lengthened.

_Things shouldn't be this way._

From on the ground, Sakura glared up at him, pink hair hanging messily in her face. To her, his involvement was unnecessary. She was angry, but also, she was _mad_.

"I can handle it! You can't, Naruto! I can!"

The self-destruction was something he had always attributed to Inner-Sakura, but with the appearance of the seal, their natures had blended.

Upon standing, she shoved him back, and he was thrown hard into a wall. Their internal dispute seemed to discompose the increasingly antsy Cloud ninja. They clearly hadn't expected another with Tsunade's technique.

Grimacing, he watched Sakura leap onto the desk, looking beautiful, and vibrant, beaming back at him in the darkness. She landed gracefully on her feet, spinning around-

And kicking the team leader in the face, smashing it into the wall where it seeped inky reds and blacks. Sakura grinned, victorious, and glanced at the cronies. Their forfeit was evident in their faces.

She looked so inanely charming. She could have curtsied and it wouldn't have been too out of context.

Tsunade lingered in the shadows, staring at her, like maybe she already knew.

Sakura turned to face her husband, as though the confrontation hadn't been particular at all. She dropped daintily to the ground, awaiting his grudging, ever-reliable approval, but her eyes widened and she grasped the table.

Naruto's lips parted as her henge faded.

* * *

Tsunade, however, had no role in saving the future, for her death had considerably more importance than her life would thereafter.

Mirai Sasuke watched in shock as his and Hinata's counterparts exited the forest together, the kunoichi's arms wrapped around his young self's torso. The young Sasuke, in turn, held her back. They kept as close to each other as possible, and she was conscious; _walking_, wearing his shirt.

It made no sense at all.

How could his counterpart have possibly gotten through the gate? Unless Tsunade had died prematurely?

Mirai Sasuke glanced down at his wrists where the seals were still evident against his skin.

He dropped to a lower branch, continuing to watch. His young self had been able to save Hinata whereas he had not. _How?_ The question echoed through his mind.

And how would a change this drastic impact the future? Hinata's personality? Their marriage? And Kasai's existence.

Hinata had been saved.

He wasn't indifferent toward this knowledge. Rather, he was the opposite, overwhelmed with shock, relief; anxiety.

_Everything went wrong..._

When the counterparts disappeared into the village, Sasuke dropped to the grass and moved toward the gate. He watched another figure approach from the other side. Her head bowed, she moved heavily, shifting one foot forward, and then the other. She dropped her rat mask to the grass and finally looked up at him. Her clothes were covered in blood.

**What did you do? **he asked, reaching out to her.

His hand connected with the invisible barrier, burning his fingertips. So Tsunade was still alive.

His wife stopped just short of it. He watched her catch her breath. "I killed them," she said.

Sasuke said nothing.

Mirai Hinata lowered her head, her shoulders, too, sagging. Sweat dripped from her chin. "They know each other already," she said, as though hearing his silent question. "He knew her, and he was desperate to reach her. That's how he got through."

His eyes widened.

Hinata's knees gave out and she fell forward through the gate. Sasuke caught her before she could hit the grass, pulling her against him and scooping her into his arms. Her limbs were like liquid, deadweight in his hold. She was conscious, but only by force.

"What you did was selfish," he said, his forehead touching hers. "You jeopardized everything."

"Un," Hinata passionlessly agreed.

He caught her lips, lightly, and felt her smile against the kiss. He pulled back, allowing her to rest her head against his chest, her body shutting down and surrendering its battle with exhaustion.

Carrying Hinata in his arms, Sasuke began to walk back to the village, feeling again numb and alone. He still hadn't heard back from Naruto, and had lost all trace of Hanabi's chakra. He had no way of tracking or reaching her. Nothing short of murdering Tsunade himself, and that wasn't going to happen.

The village was asleep, the streets empty and silent just like they had been the time before. He felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu, only this time Naruto and Sakura wouldn't be mourning at daybreak. He wouldn't be locked away with Hinata, and Hanabi wouldn't-

For Hanabi, everything was the same. His wife had forfeited the mission. Offering her love for her sister to the man in white had given her _leverage_ to be selfish. In the past she would have never saved herself over Hanabi. On the contrary, she had been fiercely protective of her. Now she just despised her.

And this artificial indifference had been Hinata's device for defeating her. It had backfired.

Sasuke's thoughts carried him elsewhere.

He didn't trust his counterpart alone with the young Hinata, but couldn't allow himself to think about it. There were so many other loose ends and broken variables spinning around his mind.

More than everything else, he was concerned about Kasai, and how the occurrences had affected her future...or lack thereof.

His hold on Hinata tightened.

When he reached the Hyuuga house, everyone was awake, and the clan was in a state of turmoil over Hiashi's murder and the missing daughters. He was the last person anyone wanted or expected in the middle of the night, the most suspicious of the future visitors, carrying one of his unconscious comrades and the counterpart of the girl they were looking for.

"Where are the daughters?" an elder said as he entered the threshold.

"I don't know," Sasuke said, continuing to walk. He was exhausted, and knew not what else to say. The elders stood their ground, but murmurs followed him along the corridors.

Finally someone found the nerve to snatch his shoulder. He stopped moving and glanced back at the teenage Neji.

"Where the hell are they?"

"Who?" he asked vaguely.

"Everyone. Your companions. Hinata and Hanabi!"

"I don't know."

"What happened to my uncle?"

Sasuke said nothing.

"You're covered in blood."

It wasn't entirely true. _His_ _wife_ was covered in blood.

"Hanabi was kidnapped," Sasuke said. He didn't know why he disclosed this information. He knew they wouldn't be able to find her, even with their white eyes. "Hinata is with my counterpart," he added, if only because he knew Neji would take care of that particular problem. "I don't know where my friends are."

Neji remained frozen, and Sasuke took the opportunity to leave. He heard the Hyuuga dart off in the opposite direction. He closed his eyes, feeling a headache begin to form on his temple.

He drew and exhaled.

He couldn't think. He just needed a moment.

With Hinata still looking misplaced and helpless in his hold, Sasuke entered his room and closed the door behind him. For just that night, he didn't care who saw it.

* * *

He sat in the corner of the room, head against the wall, repetitively running over everything in his mind. Only as Hinata writhed in her sleep did he stand and climb into the bed beside her. Truth be told, she soothed his nightmares as well.

By dawn, Hinata had not regained consciousness, but he wasn't concerned. She had to replenish her chakra. He observed her sleeping form. It wouldn't be until midnight that they'd see the effects of the changes.

He slipped out the window rather than exiting the door, uninterested in the concept of another confrontation with the clan. He climbed onto the rooftop and reclined, eyes narrowed against the sunlight.

**Dobe?**

He waited a few moments.

No response.

**Sakura.**

But this left him feeling even more vacant. He encountered not her consciousness, but a void, as though she didn't even register on that bizarre telepathic channel.

Maybe she was unconscious, or maybe her second personality had borrowed her mind.

Sasuke turned onto his side, unconcerned. The woman wasn't mentally well.

He grit his teeth. He'd have felt betrayed and abandoned if it wasn't so childish, and if his faux siblings hadn't already compensated, and over-compensated with hell and worry for him throughout the first three years of his teens.

His mind shifted to Hanabi, who won on his scale of priorities, through importance and a very vague tangibility.

She had never revealed the location at which she was tortured.

But he was familiar with the time of her return.

He glanced again at the position of the sun.

As of that moment, he had seventeen hours to find her.


	20. Interlude 4

**Author's Note: **I was so inspired by the (gorgeous) gift-art lems did for this fic, I just started working on it again last night. Please check out her pics, linked in my bio.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinke's Lady

**Byakugan: **White eye; all-seeing eye.

**Interlude 4**

The cavern stunk of the dead creatures that had gotten lost and died within its maze of passages. It didn't seem to be a natural formation – well, not completely. The walls had been carved and enlarged to accommodate lithe nin that could slip through them as well as thicker, muscular ninja such as the ones who had captured her.

It seemed to be a clandestine shelter, maybe even an old hideout.

Hanabi noticed a Konoha emblem carved into one of the walls. One of her capturers followed her gaze before approaching the mark and slashing a few lines through it.

Veins rose on her temples. "We haven't left Konoha," she said.

Looking back at her, the man grinned. "Precisely."

"And who will look for you here?" said another.

Hanabi struggled against her binds, not ropes but wires, thread-thin but shockingly strong. They burned as they rubbed against her skin, cutting into her flesh and leaving raw red marks. The wires encircled her ankles and drew her hands behind her back, before circling up again to wrap around her throat. Every one of her fingers had been attended to, and they angrily twitched, even at risk of being sliced off.

The area was illuminated only by a couple of torches hanging along the walls. Though they were draped in shadows, Hanabi could see the others clearly.

"The older girl got away," said one of the men, his hairline ebbing toward the top of his skull. He was the largest, and wore a Kumo hitai-ate like his comerades.

A second man remained silent. His face hooded, he simply observed from a wall.

"It doesn't matter," said a third, longish hair tied behind his head. "What should we do with her, Kazue?"

Hanabi's attention turned to the sole woman among the Cloud shinobi. She was young and slim, with an obstinate face. She was someone with who she might have related-

"Take her eyes."

Hanabi's breath hitched in her throat. There was a pause among the Kumo team, as though they were human enough to hesitate. Two of the men began to mutter amongst themselves. One of them – the hooded man – withdrew a crude spoon-like instrument from his pack. He turned to face her.

"Don't touch me!" said Hanabi as he approached and kneeled down to her level. She struggled with her wires, choking as they cut into her throat. The hooded man simply drew back her hair and raised his instrument. Hanabi squeezed her eyes shut. "Don't-! Mother!"

Everything turned white, and she had her first experience of utter clarity.

Opening her eyes, Hanabi released a sigh of relief. Though she was still seated on the ground with her limbs drawn, her binds had disappeared, as had the Cloud shinobi. Extending her arms and legs, Hanabi caught her breath and grinned at the woman she had summoned.

Everything had disappeared, and felt...vacant, as though they weren't on earth, but suspended somewhere perpetual and hopeless.

It was Hanabi who would begin the trend of cheating destiny.

The woman standing across from her wore a black kimono that seemed more like liquid than cloth. Her shoulder-length hair had the same consistency. Her eyes were white, and her skin was unnaturally pale. Eeriness aside, she resembled Hinata more than anything else.

"Kaasan?" said Hanabi. The term felt strange and juvenile on her tongue, but she had never known the woman as anything else.

"You're not supposed to use this technique," the woman said. Her voice and expression were apathetic.

"Because the dead can be bitter, greedy creatures. The living are not meant to communicate with them," Hanabi rehearsed what she had been told repetitively throughout her training.

"Indeed," said her mother. "But as a Hyuuga-"

"It's my trump card," said Hanabi. "I need you to save my eyes."

They were suddenly face to face, and Hanabi couldn't recall either of them moving. She stared up at her mother and stood her ground.

The woman reached up and pulled back a strand of her hair. "Beautiful eyes," she mused. Hanabi's heart rose as her mother smiled. "But what good will they do you once you're dead?"

Hanabi's eyes widened.

"You were never meant to survive such a terrible ordeal."

"But I can't die!" Hanabi grasped her mother's kimono, sleek like oil in her fingers. "You have to protect me!"

"I can save your life, but that's a steep request. What will you give me in return?"

Hanabi looked down, crestfallen. She clenched her jaw. "What do you want?"

Her mother leaned down to her ear, and what she whispered was both loving and selfish.

"I want your soul. I want to keep it here with me. Forever."

Hanabi was thrown back into reality just as the instrument connected with her eye socket. Her screams did not penetrate the cavern.

* * *

She could never be considered for heir now. She had become a living contradiction.

A blind Hyuuga.

Bloodied bandages encircled the top half of her face. Her clothes, too, were drenched in blood. Some of it was hers. Most of it was not.

There were deep cuts on her wrists, throat, and ankles, each which Hinata bandaged with her own shaking hands. Hanabi's left hand was stuffed in a bloody cloth.

Losing one of her fingers had given her the leverage she'd needed to contest the binds.

It had been almost two days since her disappearance. Search parties were still out scouting for her from there to Kumo, but many had assumed it was too late.

And it was, in a sense.

"What happened to you?" Hinata cried, voicing what was on everyone's mind.

They sat on the floor in the center of the living room. Hanabi could hear the murmuring of family members – _spectators_. How many were there? One or two dozen?

She heard their whispers, but not as distinctly as she would have liked. All her life her byakugan had compensated for any weaknesses she had in her other senses, but now she felt isolated. Blind.

Hanabi caught one of her sister's trembling hands, interrupting her ministrations. She felt her way along Hinata's arm, feeling her shaking worsen, until her hand met with her face: cool and wet. "What happened to _you?_"

"I sent for a healer, Hanabi-san," someone with a hoarse voice interrupted them. It might have been one of the elders. "She can help with your pain."

But nothing more.

Hanabi lowered her hand from her sister's face. "I don't want to be healed."

* * *

She retched on the next few mornings she woke up to darkness. It was something she was never going to get used to. Crying was excruciating on the occasions it was possible. She continued to hear those indiscernible murmurs follow her throughout the house. If she wanted to contend them, she was left to yell at darkness. Finding her way had become guess-work, except for the times her sister took her arm and escorted her, but after a few days, Hanabi began to tear away. She fell down sometimes, and still, her sister helped her, always lingering behind her shoulder, even if Hanabi had no way of telling she was there.

Her days were spent creeping along walls. She had become more vocal than she cared to be, calling out to the darkness, announcing her every action, her voice sometimes falling hollow, hanging in empty air. Most of her time was spent alone in her room, sitting, waiting. Sometimes someone else walked inside, and she didn't care enough to be apprehensive. She couldn't distinguish people or sounds. She couldn't even tell day from night.

It had been a month since she'd lost her eyes. That day, someone grasped her shoulder.

Hinata.

"It's me," said Neji.

"What is it?"

"It's time for you to resume your training."

Hanabi furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you know about being blind?"

"Nothing." But Neji had someone else in mind.

* * *

Her sister wrapped her face in bandages every day, as though it made a difference by then. Maybe the sight of her empty eye sockets disgusted her.

She sat on the grass, and could feel Hinata seated next to her, always at arms-reach. Across from them was an unfamiliar presence.

"My new sensei?" said Hanabi. "But I have no respect for you."

She knew if she had been someone else, he would have yelled or cursed at her, like she'd seen him do to Neji and Naruto, and all her sister's other former classmates. "You won't have to put up with me for long. If you can complete my regiment I'll be passing you over to Shino."

Short-term goals. Did they think she could be so easily manipulated – giving her small things to pursue, as though there would be anything otherwise?

"And then what?"

"Kakashi."

That made things slightly more interesting. Still-

"What's the point?" said Hanabi.

"We're going to teach you to use your remaining senses – to an advanced degree," said Kiba. "It will be your new _edge._"

"What's the point?" Hanabi reiterated.

She froze as she felt the Inuzuka hold the top of her head with his large, clawed hand. "Humor me."

Hanabi remained unmoving. Seated beside her, her sister still had yet to say a word. She could only assume Hinata was coming along for the ride.

* * *

It was a year later that she began missions again. The barrage of noises that had been her surroundings had become categorized in her mind, each having become a distinct voice or sound. She could hear the fluttering of wings and identify what bird it was. She could tell Kiba's growls from the Uzumaki's more feral ones. She could even hear the differences in her sister's breathing patterns that day: heavier; faster.

"Let's go," said Uchiha Sasuke, brushing passed her on his way out of the Hokage's office.

A more graceful figure followed him out, briefly squeezing her arm as it did so.

-her sister's diligent fingers.

Mouth set, Hanabi entered the Hokage office. She listened to the sound of Kakashi lowering some papers.

"I have your mission," he said, amusement in his voice as though she had missed something funny.

"Un?"

"You will be delivering a scroll to Suna with Moegi. She's waiting outside and will fill you in on all the details."

With a nod Hanabi exited the office, reigning her disappointment.

Kakashi had the habit of putting nin into partnerships, but she would have preferred to work alone. She wasn't her sister and didn't need anyone to hold her hand.

When she got back outside, Moegi called out to her, as though she couldn't already _sense_ her. Shuffling papers as they walked, Moegi filled her in on minute details about the mission. Traditionally, the strongest ninja on a team was tasked with handling items, but Mogei had no incentive to pass her the scroll.

It was true. She was blind, and could only perform single-handed seals. Who was to say she had any amount of competence?

They took to the forest and moved nonstop for two days. Hanabi could sense her distance from everything organic – the pants, insects, and animals, each giving off a miniscule aura. The dead things were more difficult for her to detect, but through her training with Shino, she had learned about air patterns, and the way they uniquely circulated around different objects.

Sometimes she misinterpreted her senses, or one clashed with another, in which she would snag her arm on a branch, or crash through an old log. She always cursed herself and continued on. Kiba was rubbing off on her.

On the third day of travel, she and Moegi had almost reached Suna. They were not to stop until the scroll was delivered, but Hanabi could sense Moegi's increasing fatigue.

The Hyuuga did not slow down, but Moegi lagged, and it was because of this that they were intercepted at the border of the Wind country.

Moegi screamed as a kunai caught her thigh.

Hanabi dodged the whistles of weapons, listening to Moegi follow suit. The injured kunoichi panted heavily, betraying their location.

"Who are they?" Hanabi called.

"What-?" Moegi swung behind a tree just before several kunai were embedded in its bark.

"Who – are they?" said Hanabi, raising a senbon and deflecting weapons aimed for her. She joined Moegi behind the tree.

Their attackers consisted of a small team – maybe three-man – and she could hear them strategically closing in. They communicated with each other scarcely, in terse accents. Their movements were light.

"Suna rebels," said Moegi, catching her breath. Pushing herself off the tree, she leapt for a lower branch – but her feet never made contact.

Hanabi disappeared into the foliage before she could be captured as well. The rebels were easy to avoid since she knew where they were. She withdrew to a far enough distance from her captured comrade and listened as the foreigners interviewed her.

"Where is the scroll?"

Moegi grunted in pain. "In my backpack."

There was a cracking noise of a limb snapping, followed by a scream.

"_Where?"_ the rebel repeated.

Remaining silent, Hanabi felt around the backpack she had collected from Moegi during the scuffle. Unzipping it, she reached inside and retracted the thin scroll they had been charged with protecting. This, she subsequently tucked under her weapons holster.

"I don't know!" Moegi cried.

Crunching noises. Bone on bone, and the disgusting hiss of spraying blood. Moegi could not extricate herself from the assault.

Perched there in a low tree branch, Hanabi listened to the sounds of her teammate being systematically torn apart. When it was over, and Moegi had stopped making noises, Hanabi departed. The rebels had retired.

She reached the Hidden Village of Sand in half the time it would have taken if Moegi was still with her. Seated on a couch in the Kazekage's office, she leaned down, resting her arms on her knees. She raised her head when she heard the door open, and listened to the Kage enter the room. His movements were heavier than anyone else's she knew. She couldn't tell whether his steps were casual or deliberate. She felt him stand to face her, and held out the scroll. He removed it from her hand.

"Thank you," said Gaara, his voice monotonous. Other Kages had congratulated her on her achievements – they had been impressed that she flawlessly accomplished missions better suited for shinobi double her age.

Gaara was not. "What happened to your teammate?"

"She died," said Hanabi.

Gaara said nothing and even if she still had her eyes, she didn't expect she could have read his expression.

"There was nothing I could do."

* * *

By the time Hanabi was thirteen, her sister's relationship with the Uchiha had become official – during one of those times she hadn't been paying attention. Not that they were particularly vocal about it. She could just hear them arguing sometimes.

Kissing, others.

Weary of them, and of Hinata's impending promotion, Hanabi occupied herself with missions. She'd take two or three on end before she tired. Sometimes her teammates died accidentally, and their deaths turned out somehow – _convenient_.

As she crossed the village upon her latest return, she felt Kakashi's apprentice watching her, and imagined his jaw was taut, his hair, blonde and stupid as ever.

Remaining impassive, Hanabi ignored his bubbling aura. He knew nothing about her, _or_ her many _fallible_ teammates! He had no idea how – _impotent_ – they were!

Her face was burning for some reason, her head pounding, and the world spinning. By the time she got to the Hyuuga grounds, her pace had decreased considerably. She pulled at her bandages, desperate to remedy that stinging sensation where her eyes used to be. She wouldn't notice that she'd fainted until several hours later.

"Hanabi."

She awoke to darkness, and her sister's voice. Hinata was seated at her bedside. "What happened?" Hanabi said.

"You fainted."

She stiffened at the sound of the Uchiha's voice.

"Clogged tear ducts. Your face is infected," Hinata elaborated for her terse boyfriend.

Hanabi felt Hinata brush her fingers through her hair, the way their mother had done just that one time.

"Were you crying, Hanabi?"

Hanabi wrinkled her nose. "No – I – don't think so-"

Her sister spread a salve above her cheeks, opening her tear ducts, and leaving a burning, tingling sensation, like what she experienced when peppermint touched her tongue. Hanabi reached up and touched her cheeks to find the wetness of tears. She lowered her hand again, bemused.

"Try to get some rest," said Hinata, standing.

Hanabi listened to the sounds of her and Sasuke exiting the room.

It was only then that she noticed how much she despised them.


	21. Interlude 5

**Author's Note: **Thank you for your awesomely kind reviews. I don't deserve your patience and geniality.

_Again, whenever a chapter is entitled __**Interlude**__ you are seeing a __**Flashback **__into the Mirai timeline._

Also, I'm afraid I was implicit about something I should have made more lucid. When Hanabi was found sprawled on the ground at the end of Interlude 3, that wasn't when she returned to Konoha (which was much earlier). That was just a reference to when she collapsed due to her facial infection.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 5**

Hinata didn't speak to her as much as she used to prior to the night of their father's murder. She couldn't seem to face her, always falling speechless when they came in contact.

She spoke to Sasuke, though.

Maybe the Uchiha pacified the rightful guilt Hinata felt for failing her.

Little did Hanabi know, Hinata blamed her as well, for taking chase to the Cloud shinobi in the first place, and for falling into their trap, thus putting the both of them through hell that night.

Hanabi could sometimes hear Sasuke and Hinata talking in the next room. Her sister had undergone the same training regiment as she had, and was well aware of her scope. The conversations were therefore whispered, but Hanabi leaned on the wall, eavesdropping at times. It required imagination, and a little bit of mental censoring. Their father would have never allowed Hinata to have a boy in her room.

"I'm the only one left to inherit the clan," Hinata said. They might have been sprawled in her bed. "I have no choice."

"Why are you telling me this?" the Uchiha asked.

"I need to know your opinion before it's too late."

"Why does it matter?"

There was a long enough pause that Hanabi began to suspect she'd been caught.

"Because this is a permanent position and we're going to be together – for a really long time."

A snort. "Don't get cocky."

A shuffle, as though maybe the Uchiha was trying to escape.

Then kissing noises. Hanabi's amusement turned to disgust, and she wrinkled her nose.

"I've been offered ANBU placement."

The kissing ceased.

"The ANBU is dangerous."

"So?"

"We – work well together."

"But you're becoming the head of your clan."

"Un..."

"Fair trade?"

It was one she would regret. "Okay."

Hanabi pushed herself off the wall, disgust becoming irritation. She exited her bedroom. She was running late for a training session.

She met Kiba in the woods an hour later. It was nighttime but it didn't make a difference.

She and Kiba never engaged in sparring or combat exercises. Her technique was faultless, and her sensei specialized in something more unique than taijutsu.

"What do you hear?" he asked her.

Hanabi joined him on a tree branch. "Nara Shikamaru being bitched out by his girlfriend a few yards away from here," she said with indifference. "Two genin are lost in the woods a mile westward. Ichiraku just closed it's curtains, meaning it must be seven o'clock, and there's a bluebird flying somewhere above us. I think one of its wings is injured."

She heard Kiba scratch his head. Sometimes she wondered if he had fleas.

"A blue bird?" he said, finally.

"Yes. Don't you hear it?" said Hanabi.

"No."

Her lips twitched into a smirk.

"So you've surpassed me," he said, matter-of-factly. She couldn't determine if he was smiling or scowling. "I guess that's it, kiddo."

She furrowed her brows at the nickname.

He noticed. "That's right, you're fourteen now. You've really grown up."

_I guess. Whatever._

"Well congratulations. You have graduated from sensory training." She felt him stand.

"When will I see you again?" said Hanabi, before catching herself. She clamped her lips shut, mortified.

She couldn't physically see, and even if she could, she wouldn't have wanted to be in Kiba's company if she could help it. His presence was unsanitary, at best.

"At your sister's promotion," said Kiba, the branch shifting as he departed.

But privately, she regretted that she couldn't picture him perfectly. When she'd had the ability to see him, she couldn't have cared less about him. Now was just...different.

She reached up and touched her forehead, tracing where she would receive her cursed seal.

* * *

"Thank you," said Hinata, on the evening of her eighteenth birthday as she received the clan from the elders. She sounded composed and content, and Hanabi missed the days of her speaking impediment. "I promise to serve the clan in the years to come, to protect it with my life, to provide an heir, and to guard the secrets of the byakugan, but-"

Hanabi's lips parted at what Hinata said next.

"-But I will not mark my sister with the cursed seal."

In time, she would regret that as well.

Around her, Hanabi heard the elders fall into silence, and before her, she heard Hinata leave the floor. A chair was pulled out near her as the new Hyuuga head returned to her seat.

"Love you," Hinata said.

Hanabi was certain her sister was talking to her disciple until she felt herself being pulled into an embrace. She remained frozen in Hinata's arms, and offered a reluctant, "Happy birthday."

* * *

Over the next few days, Hanabi reveled in her freedom from the seal. She took on extra missions, appreciating Kakashi's growing reluctance to give her partners.

Unfortunately, it wasn't one of those days.

For a mission to Kumo, she had been partnered with a jounin: Yamanaka Ino. She also happened to be Neji's wife, and her makeshift sister-in-law.

As the mission progressed toward their destination, Hanabi came to realize that she wasn't part of a partnership, but was being supervised. She wondered if that had been Kakashi's intent.

She could feel Ino watching her at times, with the suspicion and hostility Naruto donned when they crossed paths. In the evenings Ino withdrew to a personal tent leaving Hanabi to make camp for herself.

Hanabi could distantly recall what she looked like. Blonde. Pretty. Vain.

Two days of travel brought them to a prison in the Lightening country. They were tasked with liberating a magnate's nephew who was being jailed there on suspicion of espionage.

"Based on his ranking, he's most likely being held on the top floor," said Ino. "We'll enter through the roof."

Crossing the perimeter was not difficult, nor was taking down the men on the roof with nonfatal blows. They weren't ninja, they were prison guards, and it was all relatively simple.

"Let's hope we're as lucky when we get inside," said Ino.

A descending flight of stairs brought them to a higher quality of guards, and at higher quantities. Hanabi could sense their auras occupying every sector of the building. There were so many people packed into the prison, she found difficulty discriminating the chakras of the guards from those of prisoners. The building was made of dense stone, making it all the harder for her to visualize without her working senses. She followed Ino through a passage of cells, running her hands along the bars to help herself gain perspective of the framework. The prisoners in turn called out to them; groaning, cackling, crying grievances. Sometimes they would reach out to touch her hand, but she was too fast to be interrupted.

"Shinranshin no jutsu!" said Ino.

A group of guards they encountered became frozen in place before they could react to the sight of intruders. Captivated by Ino's technique, they couldn't even seem to call out for help.

Hanabi continued to follow the older kunoichi, turning corner after corner, and exploring column after column in search of their charge. Ino stopped other guards as they were encountered, and held dominance throughout the search, leaving Hanabi to feel as impotent as she was being treated.

The blonde ninja breathed heavily as she finally stopped at a cell. Hanabi followed suit, touching the iron bars.

"He's here," Ino said. "But he's hurt."

It was true. Hanabi could sense the man's feeble aura at the corner of the cage. He wasn't conscious.

There was a clanging noise as Ino shook the bars of the cell door, testing their hold. "I need the key," she concluded.

"Can't we get it off one of the guards?"

"They don't carry keys," said Ino with unjustified annoyance. "I have to find out who does."

She said 'I' as though she didn't have a partner, just another of those irritating underlings.

"Come here," said Ino, grabbing her elbow. She dragged her to the next prison guard they could find. Hanabi heard his startled gasp and Ino's muttered technique.

"Shintenshin no jutsu."

Ino then sunk to her knees and collapsed to her side, however the guard remained standing. Hanabi reached behind her for a kunai.

"It's me," said the guard across from her. "You're familiar with my techniques, aren't you?"

Vaguely.

"Stay here and watch my body."

As Ino darted off in the guard's body, Hanabi knelt down beside her body and felt around her neck.

She had never seen or experienced the mind body switch first-hand, and found it to be extraordinary. Ino's soul had jumped, leaving her body vacant. She had reduced herself to a vegetated state, and all for the sake of discretion. Didn't she ever fear that she wouldn't get back?

Hanabi rested her hand on Ino's chest. Her breathing rate had decreased, her heart rate alongside it. Like every technique, it had its risks.

Straightening, Hanabi leapt into the air and caught the ceiling. Crouching against it, she pressed her lips and tried to recollect her senses. Though the stone was thick, it was riddled with subtle vibrations. Focusing on all the animate chakras, she darted off and closed in on a clutch of them, then dropped herself to the ground.

She didn't care what happened to Ino's body. She was neither her subordinate nor her babysitter. Snatching a senbon from her weapon's holster, she caught a guard across the eyes and listened to him scream. Others hurried to his aid.

She stabbed the next guard in his forehead, but couldn't dislodge the senbon from his skull. Surrendering her weapon, she instead grabbed a kunai and snapped a third's femoral artery.

Now other guards were pouring into the corridor, but the closer ones were backing away. They messily clashed, and Hanabi caught up to them, infiltrating the swarm and killing as many people as she could. She sliced at guts, throats, faces, and eyes before her victims could even spot her. When the corridor was finished and she was surrounded by bodies, she moved on to the next one, catching guards with nasty sneak-attacks. She struck someone across the throat, but their body dropped more lightly than the others.

Hanabi froze. "Ino?"

She knelt down and felt the body. Thin frame. Feminine physique. It was Ino's body, and her chakra, restless, volatile, always teeming to move elsewhere. But this time it was withdrawing...fading.

She must have returned to her body during the commotion.

Dropping her weapon, Hanabi began to back away, but someone caught her leg. She nearly fell down.

She felt Ino's cool hand squeezing her ankle to hold her in place. Her chakra flickered, and spiked, somehow_ renewed._ Hanabi could sense the green tendrils of energy stitching her throat back together.

It was as though the woman's body was on autopilot, programmed to save her without any direction. A thought crossed Hanabi's mind, one that would recur years later.

_Medics don't die._

Releasing her ankle, Ino sat up and climbed to her feet, her limbs shaking as she challenged her fatigue. Hanabi gasped as the woman suddenly grabbed her neck and slammed her into a wall.

"_What the hell are you doing?"_

"I-" Hanabi was at a lost for words let alone an explanation. "Where's our charge?"

"He's dead. They're killing _all_ the prisoners from the Fire country."

Hanabi felt Ino release her throat only to seize her arm. The woman's fingernail's dug into her skin.

"We have to get out of here."

* * *

They took no breaks during the trip back to Konoha, and Ino never released her. She was shoved through the door of the Hokage's office, and could feel the room ice over. She sensed Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi by the desk, probably going over a mission together.

Ino followed her into the room. "She tried to kill me," she said. "She slit my throat!"

The air of confusion became one of caution. Hanabi felt Naruto's chakra bristle but the others remained sedate.

"Is this true, Hanabi?" Kakashi said, his tone severe.

Hanabi clenched her jaw. "It was an accident."

"She murdered dozens of civilians."

"I was pursuing the mission," Hanabi said through her teeth. "_You_ were not."

"How many people are going to die before we handle her?"

It sounded as though the matter had been discussed before then. Hanabi had no doubt that her partnership with Ino had been intentional.

"She's right Kakashi," said Naruto.

The door opened behind her. "What's going on here?"

Hanabi lowered her head as a new presence entered the room.

Hinata.

"This is a closed meeting-" Naruto began, but Kakashi cut him off.

"We're investigating the casualty rate of your sister's teammates," he said.

There was a pause.

"Hanabi is strong for her age. She underestimates the others in her division," said Hinata.

"That still doesn't explain a lot of things," said Sakura.

"Hasn't she been through enough, without these – ridiculous accusations?"

She had never heard Hinata sound so icy.

"If her teammates keep dying then give her ones who can keep up."

Hinata grabbed her shoulder and ushered her to the door.

"She's not leaving," said Naruto.

"If you want to charge Hanabi with something, you'll have to go through the Hyuuga clan," said Hinata, not looking back. It was a threat and they all knew it. Was one individual worth triggering a civil conflict with the village's senior clan?

The two Hyuugas exited the office, leaving two seething blondes in their wake.

Even after they had left the Hokage tower, Hinata did not inquire about the matter, and Hanabi suspected she didn't want to know. Her body was tense, and her aura, restrained. When they got to the Hyuuga house, Hinata walked inside, and Hanabi branched off onto the veranda. She remained there for a few minutes, head bowed under the beam of the sun, before she climbed upon the railing and up the wall, where she knew she could sense the source of her sister's inconsistencies. She wondered if he was the one who had tipped Hinata about her summons in the Hokage's office.

"What are you doing here?" said Hanabi as she clambered onto the roof.

It was easy to detect Sasuke, his electric chakra predictably erratic. He was sprawled on the roof, arms behind his head.

"She turned me down," he said.

Hanabi was startled by the implication behind his remark, but recovered her composure. "Then go away."

Sasuke remained unmoving. Teenage boys were dumb.

"She's really angry."

He didn't comment.

"It would never work out."

Still not a word.

Hanabi dropped onto her back and joined him under the sun. "Hinata's just so – flawed."

"So am I."


	22. Interlude 6

**Author's Note: **Your reviews are awesome as usual. They make it worth writing this, and they inspire me to continue. Thank you so much! I feel like if my head exploded, I still wouldn't have properly expressed my love and appreciation for all the wonderful things you said!

This is the last interlude for the time being.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 6**

By the time Hanabi was fifteen, her sister had married. Sasuke didn't move in _per se_. She found him one morning in the kitchen blearily searching for toast, but besides that, he worked like a dog and moved like a ghost. Hinata had moved into a larger bedroom on the other side of the house, and on the occasions she passed it, Hanabi could sometimes hear her and Sasuke talking. They seemed content with their lives despite their conflicting positions.

And although they were newlyweds, they treated their personal affections with a level of discretion that impressed her.

The entourage, however, Hanabi did not appreciate – Sakura dropping by with a cake that everyone suspected radioactive; Naruto pounding on the door in the middle of the night, distraught that Gama-chan had fallen down a well. She hadn't realized it before, but the Uchiha had siblings – annoying ones at that.

"So, what do you think?"

Hanabi heard Sakura's voice late that night. She had been on the way to the kitchen for some water.

"About?" It was Sasuke's voice.

They were standing by the front door in the living room. They might have just gotten off mission together.

"Hanabi," said Sakura.

There was a pause as Sasuke deliberated the inquiry. "She's a normal teenager."

Her face burned at the analysis – her identity simplified into four words by an ANBU special ops member. Hanabi stepped back into the corridor and returned to her bedroom.

Why was the Haruno-bitch so obsessed with her? She wished she could just be _rid_ _of her._

"I know you heard."

She stiffened, realizing that her bedroom door had been left open. She turned toward it, facing Sasuke.

"Are her suspicions valid?" he asked.

She was beginning to realize why all the _old _sannin were dead.

"I've been taken off missions," said Hanabi dejectedly.

"That's unfortunate. You have a lot of potential." She was surprised by the compliment, spoken as indifferently as he said everything else. "Coincidentally enough, I've been placed in the ANBU Interrogation Squad. Maybe I'll use you for practice."

She'd never heard him make a joke before. In fact, she'd never heard him have a casual conversation with anyone except her sister. Hanabi began to register what was going on. He was trying to bond with her, or something weird like that. Maybe Hinata had put him up to it. Stupid familial ties.

"Don't you have other things to do? Like entertaining my sister?" She knew she was crossing a line. "Making an heir?"

His geniality retracted. "It's early yet," said Sasuke, sounding gruff compared to before.

She didn't need to respond verbally, but offered a smirk. _Prudent, are we?_ She knew he could see it, and knew it got to him.

"I'm busy," said Sasuke. She didn't know if it was a parting or an excuse until he elaborated, "I have no intention-"

Hanabi raised her eyebrows. "That's ridiculous. You knew the rules before you married Hinata. The clan needs an heir."

"But what if we didn't have a child – or couldn't? What if our bloodlines were too distinct?"

All this speculation, it was bordering on ludicrous. Hanabi shook her head. "But then by default the clan would go to..." she trailed off.

"You," said Sasuke. "You're the only one left, and you're fully capable regardless of your disability."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't have the byakugan."

It was true. With the loss of her eyes, she had been stripped of her identity. She wasn't a Hyuuga anymore.

"That doesn't matter," said Sasuke. She heard him begin to leave, and trailed toward the doorframe.

"Hinata would never go for that," Hanabi called after him.

"She respects my wishes," Sasuke responded. "Parenting doesn't really fit with my patience or my agenda."

With that, he turned a corner and was gone. Bemused, Hanabi closed her bedroom door. She walked to her bed and climbed upon it, rolling onto her back. The Uchiha had made a bizarre proposition. She didn't know whether to cringe or smile.

* * *

And it was a pity. Sasuke might have possibly been a vaguely...half-decent...father. On his days off, he was charged with packing her lunch, and always cut the crusts off her sandwiches.

Not that she wasn't a teenager, and fully capable of doing it herself!

It was just that the interviewing she had been tasked with at the Hokage tower had disheartened her from indulging in such luxuries.

She spent most of the days there taking verbal mission reports from other shinobi. Occasionally there were strange gaps in time or suspicious deaths of teammates. The inconsistencies amused her, but made her better understand her own.

She walked to the Hokage tower with Sasuke on the days he was also stationed in the building. He'd mutter a regard when they parted, or grasp her shoulder the way her sister did. Even as the weeks wore on, Hanabi was reluctant to admit how they had become her impromptu guardians.

"Will you give this to Sasuke?" said Kakashi one evening, at the end of her shift. Hanabi felt a scroll being pressed into her palm.

With a nod, she left and descended the tower's many levels, stopping on the first floor where she remembered that Sasuke didn't usually get off until much later than she did. Hanabi found the door to the basements where the Interrogation Force was, and descended two more flights of stairs, emerging into the unit, and feeling its dim lighting on her head. There she found a hallway enclosed in thick walls of cement or stone, her footsteps echoing as she walked through it. She heard a few voices coming from a door left ajar.

"She's like the second-coming of Anko!"

"I wouldn't mind if she hurt _me_!"

That was right. Ino was in the squad as well.

Hanabi entered a lobby at the end of the hall, and could feel Ino's chakra there. The woman was reclined behind a desk, a thumping noise indicating her boots slamming onto the surface.

"What are you doing here, midge?"

"I'm looking for the Uchiha."

Ino snorted. "You mean your brother-in-law? You know we're all family now." Her deadpan wasn't convincing. "He's in the corridor on your left. Fourth door. _Knock first._"

Grasping the wall, Hanabi followed it to the new corridor, and counted the doors with her progression. The rooms were thickly spaced, and by the time she reached the fourth one, she could no longer hear any noise from the lobby. She pushed her way into the room.

The first thing she noticed was the odor. It stunk of blood.

Hanabi remained in place as she tried to scrutinize her new surroundings.

There was a wet panting noise: a man choking on his own saliva. The hacking sounds escalated, then turned back to sobbing, "No..." he pleaded.

Hanabi's senses launched into overdrive. Where there had been vacancies became familiarities.

She recognized the sensation of being under the earth – she could feel the humidity in the air, only this wasn't just moisture, it was blood. It filled her lungs, until she could taste it in the back of her throat. The ground was soaked in the foul fluid, seeping into her sandals and dampening the bottoms of her feet. Stale, rotting blood.

She heard the jerk of metal, as though right against her eardrums, then the distinct sound of it impaling flesh – and alas, a screaming, and it was suddenly _her_ room, and _her _shrill screaming, _her body_ being hacked away little by little. She didn't notice the choked sound that escaped her throat until someone turned to face her.

"Hanabi?"

This person grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room, slamming the door shut behind them. She recognized Sasuke's calloused fingers on her arm.

His hands, wet, sticky with blood.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed. "You shouldn't have seen that."

But she hadn't seen anything. She had experienced it all.

"You're a torturer?" she managed.

He didn't even hesitate. "This is Ibiki's task force. We all are."

Sasuke, Ino, even the men who had been gossiping near the lobby. Though her limbs trembled, she still managed to back away.

"Hana-"

She ran back down the corridor and through the lobby, oblivious of who noticed or how she ever made it to the stairs. When she reached the ground floor of the tower, and exited into the night, she finally breathed again, taking gulp after gulp of the cool night air. Too disoriented to find direction, she began to walk regardless.

"Hanabi?"

She jerked at the sound of her sister's voice. Hinata must have noticed how disordered she was. She placed her hand on her shoulder to show her where she was.

"What's wrong?"

"Did Sasuke tell you to come?" Hanabi asked, irrational and defensive.

"How could he have? He's still working." Hinata sounded justly confused.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you."

Hanabi allowed herself a deep inhalation. She couldn't have been over an hour late. "You're _not_ my mother."

A pause. "Of course."

Hinata wrapped her arm around her shoulders, but it was _unwarranted_. Hanabi allowed it because she felt too feeble to pull away, and didn't expect she could find her way home otherwise.

The trip to the house was silent. Her skin was still hot, and her heart, still pounding in her temples. Hinata took her as far as her bedroom. If she had any queries about the blood on her arm, she didn't voice them.

"Will you be coming down for dinner?" said Hinata.

"No."

"Oh..."

They fell into silence again, and Hanabi wondered why Hinata did not leave. Just as she prepared to turn away, her sister embraced her. Hanabi remained stationary in her hold, arms hanging at her sides and face stuffed in Hinata's clothes.

"What is it?" she mumbled, obstinate.

Hinata pulled back. "Don't tell Sasuke," she said, and Hanabi could tell she was smiling even without being able to see. "But he's going to be a father."

* * *

Father-to-be, and professional torturer. How convoluted.

But Sasuke ended up leaving the ANBU Interrogation Force. She didn't know whether it was because of her, or because of her sister's pregnancy, but he returned to assassinations and reconnaissance missions with the ANBU ground squadron for the next several months.

They never returned to the level of familiarity they had achieved previously. More than anything, Hanabi withdrew.

She was finishing up work at the Hokage's office one afternoon when Sasuke returned from a mission, looking more haggard than usual. Girls used to fawn over him. Now they just offered him food and shelter.

"Hey Sasuke, welcome back! I'm assuming your mission went well?" said Naruto, who was standing in front of the Hokage desk. He lowered a couple of mission reports he had been signing off on for Kakashi.

"Get out of my way," said the Uchiha.

"You seem preoccupied," complained Naruto as he was shoved aside. "Oh, that's right, you're going to be a dad soon."

Ignoring him, Sasuke took a clipboard and began scrawling down his mission report in some bizarre, untidy, chicken-scratch language.

"Oh yeah. By the way man, Hinata wanted me to tell you – she's in labor."

Hanabi heard the clipboard drop. An aura of surprise turned to one of hostility, then anxiety.

"I am going to kill you," Sasuke assured the blonde before storming out of the office.

Hanabi raised her eyebrows. "Hinata's not in labor."

Naruto didn't respond, so she left it alone. Besides, she didn't care. Sasuke's panic was her pleasure.

* * *

Hanabi entered the Hyuuga house through a side door. She could hear her sister and Sasuke confronting each other in the living room. Sasuke was probably confused.

"Why are you staring at me? Can I help you with something?" said Hinata.

A pause. "No."

Hinata was probably holding her belly in a protective manner, as though Sasuke was some deranged psychopath. Her lips lifting at the prospect, Hanabi began to search the kitchen cupboards for cereal. No one cooked around there anymore.

In the living room the awkward silence was broken. "I missed you," said Hinata, sniffing. "Didn't you miss me?"

Another pause. "Immensely," said Sasuke. He didn't sound very convincing, and Hanabi secretly hoped Hinata would burst into tears.

Shutting out what she could of the conversation, the younger Hyuuga found a box and poured herself a bowl, hoping it was cereal. She was still absorbed in what Kakashi had told her before she'd left the tower.

"Naruto really said that?" Hinata randomly laughed in the next room. It sounded like they were on the couch, their bodies connected in some way. Maybe her head was on his shoulder. Hadn't she just been on the verge of crying or something? How _irritating._

"I will kill him..." said Sasuke, his words trailing as though he was dozing off.

"I'm not due for another three weeks."

"Which is why I will kill him." His voice was muffled in clothing or hair.

"You poor thing," said Hinata, potentially petting his head as though he was an animal.

"Are you mocking me?"

Hanabi tried to turn her attention back to her cereal. She didn't like how the touchy-feely stuff was seeping out of their bedroom. Cocky weirdos.

"How do you feel?" Sasuke asked Hinata, as he usually did upon his return from a mission. There was the sound of his lips making contact, not with hers, but her cheek or ear.

Hinata sighed. "Excited," she said, but her voice weakened. "Scared. Tired."

He kissed her again, as though it would do any good.

Hanabi rested her face on her knuckles, again musing about what Kakashi had mentioned that afternoon.

_I'm going to give you one more chance with missions._

The corner of her mouth twitched.

She'd take it.

* * *

She was teamed up with Ino again, which wasn't anything more or less than she'd expected. They were tasked with escorting a missing nin from Kusa to Konoha for trial.

The mission was going well. They had collected their charge easily enough, and had encountered no dissidents throughout the journey. Konoha was only a few days away, and everything was on track.

Then came the night that Hanabi was supposed to be keeping watch.

She was roused from her sleep by shuffling noises outside her tent, but assumed it was Ino getting up, so she drifted off again.

Her senses, however, remained wide-awake. There was none of the twittering of birds she was accustomed to in the mornings. It was early – before dawn, and Ino _wouldn't _be awake.

Hanabi forced herself to get up, and the moment she did so, realized that their prisoner had disappeared.

Grabbing her weapons pouch, she hurried out of her tent and into the forest, trying to track him and trying _not_ to alert her teammate.

He moved quietly while suppressing his chakra, but not well enough. She was smaller and faster, navigating through trees and plowing through bushes, ignoring as they buffeted her skin. She could still catch up. Hanabi felt his chakra and took to the trees, knowing she was closing in.

She descended on him moments later. The man pelted shuriken at her as he retreated, but Hanabi dodged them easily, and caught his neck with her knees. She _twisted, _and there was that satisfying _crunch._

As the prisoner collapsed, she rolled onto the ground, trying to catch her breath.

"What did you do?" Another's voice pierced the dawn.

Hanabi sat up. "Ino-" she began to stand, and was shoved aside.

"You idiot!" said Ino. She knelt down beside their captive and tried to heal him, but both of them knew it was too late. Straightening again, she turned back to the Hyuuga. "Who's next?"

"What-?" started Hanabi, but Ino was upon her again, oozing hostility. Hanabi tried to remain impassive as she was shoved against a tree.

She wasn't scared of her.

"Who's next, Hanabi?" snapped Ino. "Me? Are you going to try to kill _me_ again?"

"He was going to be killed anyway," said Hanabi, as Ino placed her hand on her forehead. She tried to swat it away, but her fingers sunk into her hair. "What are you – doing?"

"I'm taking a look into your fucked up head."

It was one of the traits that made her second commander of the torture squad.

Hanabi struggled against her, "No – don't-"

And as Ino initiated the technique, Hanabi experienced more pain than anything physical she had ever suffered. Her entire life flashed in her mind, as though she could _see_ again. Her _life,_ compacted to one searing instant, and out in the open for Ino to observe.

Ino released her hair, her hand sliding down from her head. "Empty..." she mused, seeming dazzled.

A mind specialist would have been useful in the future. Like Sakura, Ino could counter mental influences, and just as well as she could cast them. She could have done it with a level of lucidity none of the others were capable of. She would have told the others _exactly_ _what_ they were sacrificing to that nasty pale man.

Hanabi launched herself at Ino. She turned her around and slammed her into the tree, where the air was knocked out of her lungs. Not allowing her to recover, Hanabi grabbed a kunai and stabbed her in the gut, the weapon sinking in deep, puncturing her spine and soaking Hanabi's hands with blood. Ino gasped, blood dripping from her lips.

Hanabi felt her chakra flare up, but simply stabbed her again, _and again_, deeper each time, until she was suitably dead and couldn't do _shit_ about it.

Breathing heavily, she released her weapon and Ino crumpled to the ground.

It took her three days to get back to Konoha, never stopping for food or rest. She didn't go to the Hokage tower to submit a mission report, but went straight to the Hyuuga house, crossing the property with her bloodied hands tucked into her pockets. When she got inside, she frowned. The house was full of different chakras. "What's going on?" she asked an elder.

The response surprised her. "Hinata had her baby."

Processing this, Hanabi exhaled. "Oh. Where are they?"

"I think they stepped out."

"Whose eyes?"

"The mother's."

Nodding, Hanabi continued toward her room, but detected a friend's chakra along one of the walls. She approached him. "What are you doing here?"

"Congratulating Sasuke and Hinata. Checking up on you."

Hanabi joined Kiba against the wall, allowing her posture to sag, and the weight of her actions to penetrate her apathy. Kiba placed his hand on her arm, sensing something was wrong.

"I know it's hard," he said.

She distractedly nodded. She wasn't fazed by what she'd done. What struck her as _off_ was that she had no remorse. She was just...numb. Her voice was weak when she spoke again. "I respect you." She felt defeated. Hollow. "But I can't feel anything else."


	23. Gambit

**Author's Note: **This chapter is **not **an Interlude, hence it is **not **a flashback.

"Mirai" means future. When a "Mirai" is in front of a character's name (ie, Mirai Sasuke), I am referring to the future counterpart.

"Talking."

_Thinking._

**Telepathy.**

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 23**

He clutched his left shoulder: the throbbing pain there, like an old injury, but it was just the cursed seal. His chakra was erratic, teeming to reunite with its dark influence. He was repulsed by the feel of it; the edginess that accompanied it, as though he'd been drugged, but with _power_, each of his tenketsu oozing the essence of the white snake. He could still feel fangs at the edges of his mouth where shorter canines had been. It felt as though with each transformation his humanity was becoming less and less complete.

Still panting, the young Sasuke looked down at his knees. He knew he could submit to the cursed seal again if necessary to catch up to the other Hyuuga who had been left in the forest...he just didn't know if he could live with himself thereafter. He released his shoulder and raised his head, glaring passed his dark bangs and at the bed across the room.

Hinata was inhuman when she slept.

No longer was she the flawed kunoichi with the feeble smile and diffident resolve.

She had been painted with cuts and bruises, and wore them ineffectually. She slept soundly, as though it was just another inconvenient work hazard. She grasped the pillow and drew up the sheets like her assault could have been the last thing on her mind.

_She's exhausted,_ Sasuke reminded himself, but it still made little sense to him. He wasn't familiar with a Hinata who could fall asleep following such an ordeal. He knew a more fidgety one, who combusted when Naruto flashed her a grin.

Though Hinata was hidden in sheets and virtually inanimate, Sasuke watched her until he could no longer doubt she was unconscious. Surrendering his clawed hold on the back of his couch, he dropped behind it, disappearing from her palpability and staring at the ceiling. Head upon one arm of the couch and feet against the other, Sasuke tried to reassess what had happened in the forest. How the younger Hyuuga had disappeared within it.

He should have been pursing the matter in some capacity, but instead was in his apartment, suspended in uncertainty that _wasn't _him, and _didn't_ suit him. He sat up again and stared at the door. It would be okay to leave Hinata alone. She wasn't a fucking child.

She'd hate him if he did. Resent him if he didn't.

"Hanabi!" Hinata gasped awake, and Sasuke had never felt so lucky and unfortunate. "W-where's Hanabi?"

They met eyes, and she fell silent.

He watched her look down at herself, recollecting the situation and becoming reticent all over again. He watched her insecurity flood back into her face as though it had been programmed to, and he felt...relieved?

"Sasuke."

Before he could speak, she climbed out of his bed, just wearing his too-long shirt. She walked around the couch and collapsed in his arms, clinging to the back of his shirt. He unconsciously caught her waist.

The embrace lingered, turning from an instinctive occurrence to an intimate one. The connection was something that nothing had ever been for him.

_Good._

He breathed in her scents of forest and freesia.

He felt her turn to puddy, like she would melt out of his hold. But she wasn't shaking the way she'd been before. She was still her. Still _his._

"You're okay," he said robotically.

"Ow," Hinata said, realizing her injuries and pulling away from him. She raised her hands to the dark dashes beneath her eyes, gliding her fingers over her broken nose. "Ow!" She flinched and Sasuke surveyed her ugly bruises.

His chest tightened as his eyes moved from her bleeding lips to the bite marks on her throat. Then the bloody tears along her cheeks, and finally, the bruises on her thighs. "Did they rape you?" he asked for a second time.

Hinata looked up at him. "I t-told you – they d-didn't."

"Did they do anything to you?"

"What do you t-think?" Her hands shook. "Why do you care!"

_You know why._

She attempted to get away from him, but he caught her wrists. He felt her chakra flare, but her byakugan would not function. Blood pooled beneath one of her eyes, and dripped down her cheek. He watched her sobs return. She needed a medic.

"I didn't reach you on time," Sasuke confessed. "But tell me – who did?"

Hinata closed her eyes. "I don't know." He released her, and she hugged herself.

His shirt hung off her shoulder, exposing more of her cream skin than had ever been allowed. He watched Hinata's hand return to her face, regardless of her pain and the bloody smudges that stained her palms.

"They d-didn't do a-anything to me," Hinata managed. She took a deep gulp of air, and what she said next could have stopped time.

"If I lost my virginity – I'd want it to mean something."

Hinata didn't raise her face again, but he stared down at her head of dark hair, his mind blank and lips wordless. They remained like that for eternities complied into three terrible seconds, when the gods mercifully decided it was an appropriate moment for his front door to smash open.

Sasuke and Hinata looked up to spot Hyuuga Neji standing in the empty doorframe. Veins flanking his eyes, Neji's air of hostility preceded him into the apartment. In an instant, he jerked Sasuke up from the couch and slammed him against the nearest wall. Taut fists became knotted in Sasuke's collar. _"What did you do to her?" _Neji wanted to know.

Jaw clenched, Sasuke activated the sharingan. It revolved warily in his eyes, the cursed seal burning more than ever.

"Stop it!" said Hinata, surprising both boys when she pushed them apart. "He p-protected me!" she said, her voice weakening again. She stood between them, facing her cousin, and it was then that she said something completely irrelevant to the matter at hand. "Where's Hanabi?"

* * *

Her love for her sister had been stupid, relentless, overwhelming, and exhausting. It had blinded her and destroyed her. That was why she had finally released it.

**Hinata.**

And now that it was absent, his agenda had an entirely new obstacle. He was limited to very particular time constrains, and he knew Hinata would take advantage of that if she could.

In the past, she would have never chosen to save herself over her sister.

"Get up."

Ironically enough, she was the only one who could find her. Reaching down, Mirai Sasuke grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up to a sitting position. White sheets spilled down her body. Her head hung, and she remained limp in his hold. He watched her open her eyes to slits, before he leaned down to her lips.

She protested. "No Sasu...don't-"

Their lips connected, and that bridge returned, his electric chakra searing as it coursed through her. He knew he was abusing her – plugging her in then removing her batteries – manipulating her chakra levels to suit his purposes. She didn't like being on the receiving end of the technique, and he was beginning to understand why.

"I need you to be conscious," he said as he broke the kiss. "I need your help."

Their faces remained together, his nose brushing hers, his eyes entreating and daring, just short of _threatening_.

_Don't turn me down again._

Hinata held his stare with a similarly distrustful one.

She had rewritten the past and excluded the worst thing that had happened to her. He must have caught her in a good mood.

"Okay," she said, lightly kissing his lips. Seeming contented by his skeptic stare, she leaned forward, catching his shoulders and kissing him again. His back hit the headboard. **Do you trust me? **she asked.

_Not at all._

He could tell she was still angry at him...manipulating him...out of her fucking mind...

But it felt good to be together. It was a luxury they did not always have in their time, and it was one he had come to abuse. He couldn't help but kiss her back, but just as he did so, she pulled away.

Hinata instead rested her head against his shoulder, her breath pressing his neck in such an evocative way. There was a mutual wanting, but not for each other. For comfort, maybe, and for the aftermath of their changes to make itself known – but mostly, for their daughter. Hinata had retracted her love for him two nights ago, then declared it again a day later. He didn't know which vow to trust, or if he could ever trust it again.

_All I'll ever need is my daughter, _she had said.

But had her decision to save her counterpart negated any hopes for that?

What if she had destroyed the best thing to happen to him? His arms hung at his sides. "Let's go," said Sasuke.

They took the window out of the house and slipped through the yard, ignoring everything that was absent in the environment, like people, and voices, and mission hawks. The Hyuuga house was desolate that morning, but when they left the property, the village became animate again. Villagers conversed, bickered, bantered, laughed – halting midway into sentences and covering their lips to hide their whispers. They ogled Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata, two unlikely shinobi crossing the village square together – like comrades, or _equals_. They must have looked backwards and mismatched, him in a jounin vest, her wearing an ANBU turtleneck. They were solemn, which wasn't particular, and they carried weapons, which wasn't unusual either. It was just the fact that they were together that roused the curiosity of the perceptive. Their distance from each other – too close, too far? Their body language, distant or suspicious? The fact that they had little patience for discretion that day didn't help their cause.

"It's a nice day," said Sasuke impassively. The remark wouldn't have been relevant on any other day. "Do you remember when I walked you home that night?" He didn't receive a response, but he wasn't counting on them. "Things are different now."

The prevalence of activity...the lack of mourning. Tsunade had indeed survived her fate. He wondered how all of these historical inaccuracies would ultimately change it.

They reached the village gates minutes later where they stopped. Based on the position of the sun, it had to be noon by then. Sasuke faced his invisible barrier.

"When I was fifteen, I would have done anything to reach you. Using the cursed seal – hadn't crossed my mind. I didn't have the incentive," he muttered, to himself, and to her. "Our counterparts are different. They already know each other in this time. I don't know why, and I don't even want to speculate..." He furrowed his eyebrows. The dynamics of their association had clearly been changed. He hadn't been able to reach Hinata that night ten years ago, but his young self _had. _How would that alter their relationship? Would it be for the better or worse?

Hinata remained aloof, standing across from him. Her hair was getting longer, spilling down her shoulders and growing in her eyes. Her arms were folded against her chest. She wasn't familiar with his cursed seal form, just a few hazy references to how grotesque and excruciating it was for him. "You would really do this? For Hanabi?" she said.

"For you," Sasuke assured her, not looking away from the barrier.

Hinata bit her mouth.

With the training regimen she had partaken in with her sister following the Kumo attacks, she had developed a means of seeing things without using her eyes. She could perceive even chakra in ways no one else could. She could track Hanabi, and lead him to her, but only if she wanted to.

"I'm ready," said the Uchiha. He pulled his shirt off and dropped it beside him.

"Sasuke..."

He allowed his chakra to climb and pour through the tomoe on his neck as it was always so keen to. It filtered back into his core, but was a different entity entirely. He submitted himself to the darkness it mandated, some of it fabricated, but some of it _authentic, _growing and overwhelming everything else, consuming him in that sticky, disgusting way. Markings filtered across his skin, burning like flames, spreading like ink, when something distant but lucid penetrated his focus.

Hinata's choked sob.

Sasuke looked up, unaware of his incongruous eyes.

"Stop," his wife said, grasping his clawed hands. "Hanabi's still inside the village."

His eyes widened.

"I can sense her."

* * *

Someone was pounding on her front door that morning, but it didn't strike her as sane. Sprawled face-down in her bed, her hair a wild mess, Ino elected to weigh her options before committing to move.

Her father must have left already. He was assisting Anko with something in the interrogation squad. Her mother probably went shopping, which left only her, and whatever thug was assaulting her front door. Ino reluctantly rose, long hair hanging in her face.

Pulling a bathrobe on over her nightgown, he padded out of her room, through the hall, and down the staircase to the living room. Crossing it, she reached the front door and peeked through the small window it adorned. Spotting Hyuuga Neji, she wrinkled her nose. Hadn't she been clear with him the last time they had been together? Flinging the door open, Ino drew a deep breath in preparation for her pre-prepared tirade.

Her mouth snapped shut when she noticed Sasuke and Hinata were with him, and she belatedly closed her robe.

"I'm glad you're home," said Neji, entering her house without invitation. "Hinata needs to be healed."

It was then that Ino noticed Hinata's condition. Every visible part of her body was covered in cuts and bruises. There were bones broken on her face, and bite marks on her throat. She was dressed in Sasuke's clothes.

"What happened?" Ino breathed, standing aside and allowing them entrance.

Sasuke grabbed Hinata's arm and pulled her after him. "Two Cloud ninja attempted to rape her," he stated. Ino's lips parted.

Hinata wasn't hysterical as she would have expected. It didn't seem she was in shock either. She was just – shaken.

"W-we have to f-find Hanabi," she gabbled, seeming oblivious of being pushed into a chair. She sucked in a sharp breath as Ino began to heal her. Hinata's eyes squeezed shut as her bones realigned and wounds faded, leaving no trace of them but the blood smears on her face. The two boys stood by, Neji's fists clenched, and Sasuke's pocketed.

"Hanabi?" said Ino, panting when she had finished. She looked up at Sasuke and Neji.

"Hinata's sister. She's missing. She may have been captured after Hinata's attack," said Neji, staring at the floor. He relaxed his hands. "I will inform the Hokage."

Sasuke watched Neji leave. Tsunade was likely to form a search party to scout all the routes between Konoha and Kumo. He suspected he wouldn't be of any use in such a scenario.

Snapping an elastic band off her wrist, Ino pulled her hair into a ponytail. "I'm going to get dressed and catch up with Neji," she said, hurrying upstairs.

Hinata climbed to her feet. "S-so will I," she said, aiming herself at the door. She failed to notice Sasuke follow, but froze when he caught the back of her shirt.

"C'mon," he said, dragging her neither in the direction of the Hokage tower nor of her house.

"Where are we going?" Hinata asked weakly.

Sasuke glanced up at the sky. It must have already been passed noon by then. Twelve hours had passed. What were the chances the younger Hyuuga hadn't been raped, murdered, or decapitated by then? At the very least, they must have taken her eyes.

It was as though Hinata could hear his thoughts. He heard her sobbing return, and released her clothes. He didn't know why she followed him – or why he cared-

-about Hanabi, this younger sister.

But she was clearly the most important person in the world to Hinata, and she was determined to find her.

So _he _was determined to find her.

* * *

She was agonized that Sasuke had ditched their meeting that evening. It had ruined her morning, and would ruin many mornings thereafter.

She would have preferred to be alone to properly wallow in despair. Her nonconsensual date with Naruto wasn't helping her cause.

He blathered about ramen as he walked her to the Hokage tower. Sometimes he would digress to Sasuke's inadequacies, but was quickly back to ramen, assaulting her with historical inaccuracies and questionable recipes. Sakura sobbed into her backpack when he would not stop.

Reaching the Hokage tower was like being reborn. Sakura released a hysterical little giggle as she stared up at it. Her regular training sessions with Tsunade had saved her from many lesser agonies. "See you Naruto," she said with fallacious affability. Just as she began to walk inside, she felt the blonde catch her hand. She glanced back at him to notice he was looking at her forehead.

"So that's baa-chan's technique?" Naruto said, alas.

So that was his game.

She smiled despite her annoyance. "Yes."

Naruto's expression flickered, but he forced a grin. "Sakura."

"Un?"

"Don't change?"

Her smile softened. Sakura lightly shoved him away from her, ignoring as he was flung into and demolished a food cart several kilometers away. He was one to talk, with the muscles, the crystal, and the mesh again his chest. Despite his insatiable mouth, puberty was treating him well.

Lowering her head to hide the way her smile persisted, she entered the Hokage tower and climbed the levels.

When she reached Tsunade's office, she was surprised to find it was in a mess. All the flowerpots had cracked, the desk had been torn to pieces, and the ground was covered in splintered plaster and wood. Among these puzzle pieces – this disarray – stood Tsunade with Neji and Ino. The Hokage's face was ashen, eyes downcast, but she looked up as Sakura entered, her eyes widening in alarm. She then looked away again, wiping her expression clean.

Sakura opened her mouth, wanting to inquire, but not knowing how. "What...the hell-?"

"Sakura, good timing," Tsunade interrupted. "I'm assembling a team."

* * *

But none of them would succeed in finding Hanabi. The future had predetermined this.

"This is one of Orochimaru's old hide-outs," said Mirai Sasuke. "A Hyuuga would have been able to find it."

"The Hyuugas weren't looking in Konoha. No one was."

Though what she said was logical, it didn't erase his skepticism. What if she was just lying to him to delay his purpose?

She held his hand, as though she was a child, guiding him through the cavern deep under the lake. His surroundings were black, and he could see nothing. They must have changed direction ten times already.

"How long have we been walking?" he asked.

"A few hours," said Hinata. She failed to elaborate, and his jaw tightened. He didn't have a watch. He couldn't see the sun in the sky.

The inconsistencies continued to mount with their progression. How could foreign shinobi have navigated through such an intricate maze of passages? More importantly, how would he get out if Hinata's lead proved to betray him? Even with his sharingan, he could not see through the darkness the way she could.

"How do you feel?" said Hinata. She hugged his arm.

"Why are you trying to distract me?"

"You consumed all my chakra last night. What does it feel like?"

Sasuke grimaced. "Vulnerable. Emotional. Like you're not as detached as you pretend you are."

There was a pause. He couldn't determine her mentality. "But you gave me yours," she said.

"Aa? What does my chakra taste like?"

"I feel like a kettle that's about to explode – but suppressed. Helpless. Restricted."

"We have something in common."

As they continued to walk, they came upon flickering wisps of light. Turning the next corner, they were met with a corridor illuminated by torches along the walls.

"I wouldn't lie to you," said Hinata, releasing his arm.

Sasuke inhaled. "Walk faster," he said, following the firelight. He took to a run, hearing his wife follow.

"We're almost there," Hinata called.

They kicked off their sandals, silencing their footsteps. It was no different from the other missions they had accomplished together. Following several more yards of running, they reached a new corner from where the firelight beamed. Just before he could turn passed it, Hinata grabbed his arm, pulling him back. She hugged his chest, burying her face in it.

"Do you trust me?" she said.

**Hinata...**

**Hanabi's blindness is her only weakness. If you do this, everyone will die.**

Hinata was wrong. Hanabi's blindness was a strength.

He could hear the Cloud shinobi just a few yards away from them. He tried to focus on what was transpiring in the next room. "The older girl got away..." someone was saying.

**I love you, you know,** Hinata said.

He remained motionless. **You can't give and take love like animal treats.**

Kasai wanted a dog.

**You can't assault me and think it's justified, **Hinata returned.

**You can't change the future- **He caught himself, and grit his teeth. **You can't erase what triggered our relationship and think it will still work out.**

**It will.**

**How could you know that?**

They fell into mental silence, the connection fading in their disagreement.

"Because you had n-nothing to live for before you met me. You said if I died, you'd die." She leaned up and kissed him on the lips. He closed his eyes, intoxicated by the contact.

He could hear the other Hyuuga's dry panting beyond the wall. He knew her time was running out.

Hinata grabbed the front of his vest. "Stay with me," she whispered.


	24. Aftermath

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 24**

The fifteen-year-old Naruto didn't feel right. He felt a sense of sadness, but didn't know why. Nothing had occurred that would have made him sad.

Accompanying this melancholy was a newfound loneliness, a sense of claustrophobia, and a thinness to his breathing, as though there wasn't enough oxygen in the air.

It helped to be outside.

Naruto dropped to the grass and stared up at the sky. Eyes half-lidded, he tried to dissect his feeling of paranoia, cataloging anything that could have been wrong.

Little did he know, it was everything.

* * *

"What the hell did you do to her?" could have easily been Kiba's initial inquiry, but Hinata was a priority. Sasuke was just some figure in the background.

"What happened?" he said, staring into Hinata's tired eyes and tear-streaked face.

"Hanabi - s-she's gone!" Hinata choked, throwing herself into Kiba's arms. Sasuke watched as they hugged, realizing that he was not unique.

"Ot-tousan's dead," Hinata continued, her voice muffled in Kiba's shirt. Sasuke's eyes widened. Hinata had not disclosed this to him.

Kiba looked stunned, but instead of voicing his confusion, lowered his chin to her head. "I'm sorry Hinata," he said. When Hinata pulled away from him, she looked back at Sasuke, with the same sad, desperate eyes.

These connections were natural to her. It was selfish to speculate where he resided among them.

Sasuke glanced at Kiba. "You're a tracker, yes?"

* * *

He was seated on the grass, one of his knees drawn with his arm wrapped around it. Short blonde hair hung in his beautiful eyes.

"What happened?" said the man who had a habit of sneaking up on people.

Mirai Naruto blinked, snapping out of his reverie. "I...um..." he lightly shook himself, trying to collect his composure. He looked down to hide that his iris' were red.

"Hyuuga Hiashi was murdered last night. His younger daughter is missing. You must know what's going on?" said Kakashi.

"Not a clue," said Naruto hoarsely.

His sensei was rightfully skeptical. "It wouldn't be part of the reason you came to the past?"

"Not that I'm aware of." Mirai Naruto continued to deflect. Looking up, he forced a smile, but it weakened. Faded.

Kakashi sat beside him. Naruto knew the man could read him, but suspected he wasn't being especially discreet. His eyes returned to the ground, and he focused on counting grass blades, the ants upon them – anything to keep him distracted. Kakashi rested his hand on his shoulder, nearly breaking him. The man treated him not like a twenty-five-year old, his apprentice, or successor – but like a kid. Naruto pressed his lips.

"What are you doing on training ground three again?" said the jounin.

"Kaka-sensei," said Naruto. He stared down at the patch of earth before him. "You don't want to know."

* * *

"Don't touch me!" yelled Hanabi, her heart pounding in her ears. "Don't-! Mothe-!"

She was interrupted when her capturer's blood splattered in her eyes. She jerked back, out of instinct, pulling on her wiry binds, and nearly slicing through her fingers. She heard the sounds of grunts, yelps, and thumps about the room. When she blinked enough of the blood out of her eyes to make out what was going on, she noticed the blade of a sword poised inches from her nose. Swallowing, she raised her gaze, and spotted the wielder.

"Gotchya," he said, with indifference that unnerved her.

"Wh-what?"

The sword flicked faster than she could comprehend and the binds restraining her limbs fell loose. Hanabi drew her hands out from behind her and stared at the cuts decorating them. She looked back up at Mirai Sasuke who was staring at her, almost as though he was looking for something. He offered her his hand, and she tentatively took it.

When she was pulled to her feet, she saw the Kumo shinobi sprawled on the ground in growing puddles of their own blood. The female among them was on her back, lips motionless, and eyes paling. Hanabi could spot where arteries had been sliced open, seeping blood faster than they could have noticed. Even if they weren't dead yet, they would bleed out in moments.

Her eyes shifted to the entrance of the cavern, where Mirai Hinata stood leaning on an archway. She had not moved.

There were so many things Hanabi didn't understand about the visitors from the future. There were things she didn't even _want_ to understand.

She deactivated her byakugan.

The most pressing among these things, was where their loyalties lied. She had seen them beyond the wall. Why had they been hesitant to save her?

Hanabi could only nod as she was pulled out of the room. Mirai Sasuke did not release her arm for some reason. She could hear Mirai Hinata's footsteps following in their wake.

"You don't have to usher me," she said, shaking off her anxiety and forcing herself to recover. "I'm not blind," she said, sarcasm dripping from her words. She snatched her arm away from the Uchiha. She didn't appreciate being dragged around by strangers with treason on their résumés. Arms at her sides, she continued through the darkening corridor.

"Right," said Sasuke belatedly. He seemed caught off for some reason.

As the torches disappeared with their progression, and their surroundings became entirely black, Hanabi activated her byakugan again. She didn't know how she would have ever gotten out otherwise. She saw Mirai Hinata do the same, joining Sasuke ahead of her and taking his arm to guide him. But it was something more than assistance. Remaining impassive, Hinata rested her head on his shoulder.

Hanabi looked away from them. She had, at least, learned _one _thing about them from the experience. She had seen them kiss beyond the wall. Mirai Sasuke and Hinata were together.

Following a few hours of walking in silence, they emerged into Konoha's night. It was late by then. She must have been missing for almost a day. She saw none of the relief she felt in Mirai Sasuke and Hinata's faces, just a graveness that piqued her growing curiosity.

The three of them crossed the village in that tense silence. At the Hyuuga house, Mirai Hinata walked off, and Mirai Sasuke stopped her in the entranceway.

"Greet your family," he said. "Then go to bed. Someone will inform the Hokage in the morning."

He spoke as though he wasn't just a stranger – like he was _allowed_ to tell her what to do.

Hanabi opened her mouth to retort, but stopped herself. She should have expressed her appreciation in some way. Her morality told her to be polite...but her training told her to be cautious. Gritting her teeth, she turned and walked off. She felt the Uchiha's eyes on her back, but she didn't have the energy to care. She was exhausted.

As was he.

Turning in the opposite direction, Sasuke walked toward his quarters.

**Sakura.**

Entering the guest wing, Sasuke stopped in front of his door.

**Naruto.**

He stared at the ground, his head bowed in fatigue. He didn't even notice that midnight had passed.

**I hope you're alive, moron.**

Releasing his doorknob, Sasuke turned away from it and instead entered the room across the hall. Not bothering to undress, he collapsed to the bed beside his wife.

He appreciated that her unintelligible mumble was more adorable than it was anguished that night. He had barely slept in two nights, so allowed his body to finally shut down.

Sasuke drifted off, realizing that he didn't feel the sense of accomplishment he would have liked. Instead, he just felt more impotent, if that was even possible.

Had he fixed things? How would he be able to tell? Why had nothing seemed to change?

He had fallen asleep for only moments when a patch of light streamed into the room from the doorway. It hit his face and made him recoil.

"Kaasan? Tousan?"

Sasuke buried himself deeper under his sheets. Hinata mumbled something that sounded rude.

Then they both sat upright.

Standing against the doorframe, a preteen girl crossed her arms. _"Where were you?"_

Hinata's lips parted.

"Kasai."


	25. Vicious

"Chibi" roughly means "little."

"Talking."

_Thinking._

**Telepathy.**

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 25**

She wore a loose black dress that went to her knees. The spaghetti straps overlapped a gray shirt she wore beneath it. The shirt had long sleeves that went passed her wrists and concealed all but her fingers. Dark leggings and flats completed her attire. Despite the layers, she looked slim and small. Messy bangs hung in her eyes, and dark hair fell down her back. She had Hinata's large eyes, Sasuke's pointed nose, and reckless scratches on her cheeks.

Kasai uncrossed her arms and pushed herself off the doorframe. "What?" she said, perturbed by their stares.

In a blink, her parents disappeared from the bed. Kasai gasped as she was pulled and crushed in her mother's embrace. "No! Stop! Arrgh!"

Stubborn blush on her features, she was stolen from her mother, but instead held at arms length by her father, where she dangled helplessly. Activating the sharingan, he scrutinized her. Kasai defiantly activated hers. What was she in trouble for _this time_?

"Why are you older?" said Sasuke, deactivating his sharingan. This left him looking even more stunned than he had initially.

Kasai squirmed for freedom. "What are you talking about, tousan?"

"Something changed," said Hinata, her eyes wet.

A moment of silence passed, Sasuke at a loss, as Kasai swiped at him in her efforts for freedom. Her arms proved too short to make contact. Noticing her struggles, Sasuke lowered her. She huffed and bared her teeth at him, crimson eyes giving him a glimpse of her volatility.

"Where were you?" Sasuke wanted to know.

Kasai blinked, her hostility dissipating. "I was in my room. Where were _you?_" she demanded, grabbing his clothes.

He ignored her question. "How old are you?"

Kasai's eyes turned black again. "N-nine," she said, confirming that she remembered nothing. _"What's wrong with you?" _she reiterated, looking at him in confusion.

As if they were the _wrong _ones. "I-" Sasuke wasn't one to hesitate, but this girl – this Kasai – had caught him completely off guard. She impatiently tugged on his shirt as she awaited his response, sending Hinata dirty looks in the meantime.

The Hyuuga blinked.

"Nothing," said Sasuke aloud.

**Something went wrong,** Hinata told him telepathically.

**She's older,** said Sasuke.

**Clearly.**

Which meant they would have gotten together regardless of whether Hinata had been raped at fifteen. In fact, preventing the rape seemed to have expedited their relationship. It was a profound discovery, and it...left them with a nine-year-old daughter they were not familiar with.

She was supposed to be five. The age difference meant she had been conceived four years prematurely. It meant they'd had her at _sixteen_ rather than twenty. Sasuke grimaced upon realizing this. **I'm going to castrate him.**

**Wouldn't that be counterproductive?** said Hinata. She couldn't deny her relief at seeing her daughter again. Though Kasai was different, she was _back!_

**I'm going to fix this, **said Sasuke.

**Maybe we shouldn't push our luck. What if she disappears again? **Her heart clenched.

**I won't let that happen. I'll just tell our counterparts – when they're allowed to have sex. **Sasuke paused after he heard what he had said. So it wasn't his most intricate plan.

Hinata covered her face. He couldn't tell whether it was to hide amusement or shock.

"I'll tell them," volunteered Kasai.

Sasuke and Hinata's faces snapped up. "What?" they said in unison.

"What you were talking about." Kasai slowly grinned, and it was as familiar as it was alarming. "I'll tell my chibi-parents when they can have sex!"

Sasuke and Hinata stared at her, speechless.

"What's sex?" Kasai added.

Hinata flushed. "I have to brush my teeth," she mentioned, shuffling into the bathroom adjoining the room. Sasuke stared after her, his cheek twitching.

Kasai shrugged and headed for the door.

Sasuke lightly shook himself. "Where do you think you're going? It's the middle of the night," he snapped.

"No tousan, you're mean!" Kasai called, sounding halfhearted, as though she had said it a hundred times before. She took to a run and slammed the door shut behind her.

Sasuke followed, only to be met with an empty corridor and no trace of his daughter. "Fuck."

* * *

Some would have expected the heavens to part, the angels to sing, and two blubbering parents to throw themselves to the ground and thank the gods – whichever of them had contributed – for reuniting them with their precious Kasai.

Truth be told, they were too baffled.

But the young Sasuke and Hinata felt an unknown weight being lifted from their chests, and a sense of ease accompanying it. They would contribute it to adrenaline. And to each other.

The young Hinata sat on her roof observing the sky, her wet cheeks briefly forgotten. There was a red bird circling the property. Was it a mission hawk? She'd never seen one like that before.

Beside her, the young Sasuke's eyes followed her gaze. Kiba had been unable to pick up any trace of Hanabi. Instead he went off to join Sakura and the others. The situation seemed increasingly precarious.

"They have Neji. They don't need another byakugan user," Sasuke muttered, weakening her doubts.

She was wrought with regret from not joining the search team herself, but on some level, she knew she would slow it down. Her cousin's abilities superseded hers. She hadn't slept in days, and was exhausted.

Attention drifting from the beautiful bird, her eyelids lowered and her posture sank. Hinata began to surrender her battle with fatigue.

She felt Sasuke catch her shoulders, his bandaged hands keeping her upright. He guided her towards him, and she was all too welcome to falling into his arms, establishing that thing they never discussed.

"Hinata?"

Her eyes lifted. The voice was familiar, but distantly so. Hinata straightened herself, and Sasuke released her. He too stared at the source of the sound.

"Kasai."

A girl dropped to the roof from one of the overhanging branches. She looked curiously from one of them to the next. She was older than the Kasai they were familiar with, and – tidier. Less hyperactive, and more feminine.

"Hinata-chan, what's wrong!" said Kasai, running to her and embracing her. Hinata gasped as she was squeezed to death by the preteen.

Kasai knew the rules. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone their futures. She would abide by them as long as they proved entertaining. So she called her mother "Hinata" and tried not to slip up.

Her past mother was tense in her hold. "W-what happened to you?"

Kasai pulled back, furrowing her eyebrows. Why did people keep asking her that? Her eyes widening, she suddenly felt an aura of killing intent. She turned her gaze to the sky.

Her chibi-parents paled. They must have felt it too. Electric chakra was teeming to destroy one of them.

Before ditching out, and leaping off the roof, Kasai mentioned the last thing either of them had expected.

"Oh no, it's tousan!"

* * *

Truth be told, it wasn't killing intent. It was minor annoyance. Same difference.

Mirai Sasuke eyed the ghost-faced teenagers on the roof, resisting the urge to wring one of their necks.

"Where did she go?" he asked, contemplating their shocked expressions. He wondered if Kasai had revealed anything.

The young Hinata instantly blushed. "She – um – I-I..."

The young Sasuke peered at her, then back at his counterpart, who was sending him a toxic look. The teenage boy clenched his jaw. Knowing himself as intimately as he had throughout his life, he wasn't one to trust himself. "She went..."

Mirai Sasuke was distracted by the bird that had caught their attention moments prior. Its feathers gleamed in an unnatural sense. He activated the sharingan, "What-?"

Mirai Sasuke was abruptly pushed off the edge of the roof. He collapsed to the ground dozens of feet below with so little dignity Hinata's blush faded. In his place stood Kasai, her arms out and sharingan spinning.

"No tousan, you can't make me go inside! It's not that late! I don't want to!"

It was 2AM.

"No, no, no!" said Kasai, hastily performing hand seals and plowing her father with fireballs. The property exploded.

_Holy shit,_ was all the young Sasuke could think as he witnessed his own future murder.

The fire sank, revealing grayed grass and the smoldering veranda. Several Hyuugas hurried out of the building, among them – Hanabi.

Hinata's heart leapt.

But Mirai Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

She and the young Sasuke looked at each other in shock before turning back to Kasai. The girl's chest was heaving, and tomoe continuing to spin.

There was a flash of darkness and a strangled noise, before Kasai caught a sheathed sword, and Mirai Sasuke reappeared, wielding it. He seemed unharmed by her outburst, just singed and annoyed. Snakes shot out from the tiles, aimed for the girls limbs, but Kasai cart wheeled backwards, gracefully avoiding them. The roof began to smolder around Mirai Sasuke, though no additional seals had been executed by either of them. The young Sasuke and Hinata took to the trees.

_What the hell was going on?_

Many byakugan about the property were activated to monitor the conflict. Among them was Mirai Hinata's, from where she watched them through the ceilings.

She was among the few who noticed the glittering bird circling the feud. It was nearly transparent by them.

Sasuke began to close in on his daughter. "Kasai, what are you-?"

"Why do you keep asking that? Nothing's wrong with me – you're the one who's wrong!"

Sasuke froze as the fire around him grew and began to circle him, becoming a vortex that tugged at his hair and singed his clothes. But he could absorb chakra and fire alike. As he outstretched his arms and did so, he glanced up at the sky, noticing the bird disappear. "Hn."

He glanced at Kasai just in time to see her collapse, unconscious.

_Interesting._

Mirai Sasuke finished absorbing the fire and trudged across the charred roof, only then recalling how exhausted he was. He knelt down beside Kasai, observing her long draws and peaceful expression. Parenting was getting harder.

The spectators stared as he gathered her up and dropped from the roof. He ignored them as he passed them on his way back into the house, walking through a pile of burnt, splintered wood where the porch had been. He entered the house and returned to the guest wing, where Hinata was waiting, her arms folded against her chest. She followed him into his room, where Sasuke dumped Kasai unceremoniously on the bed. "We're bad parents," he concluded.

"Why is she still fainting?" said Hinata, joining him beside the bed. "Her chakra ran out so quickly."

Which wasn't to say it hadn't helped his cause. Sasuke rolled Kasai onto her front and peered into her collar. "A seal."

"What?" Hinata unbuttoned the back of Kasai's dress and lifted her shirt, revealing an intricate tattoo decorating her back. "What is this?"

Sasuke stared at it. "I think she's on a chakra allowance. She can only access a portion of it." It made him wonder what the girl was capable of it.

Hinata blinked. "So the bird-?"

"That was her reserve. She drew from it until it disappeared."

"So the rest of her chakra is sealed," said Hinata, her face blank. "Why would anyone do that to her? It leaves her defenseless."

"The ward will break to save her life," said Sasuke.

"How do you know that?"

He glanced at Hinata. "I think I made it."

* * *

Neji caught the scroll that dropped through the trees, before unrolling and examining it through the darkness. "Hanabi's safe. We can head back."

Behind his shoulder Kiba sighed, but the girls were a few yards ahead of them.

"Guys – over here!" Sakura called.

Neji lowered the scroll and walked toward the sound of Sakura's voice. He heard Kiba follow behind him.

"It stinks," said the dog-boy, wrinkling his sensitive nostrils.

But the stench of it was nothing compared to the sight. Neji saw everything before they reached clearing, which was littered with chunks of flesh and puddles of blood. Insects buzzed, grazed, and bred about the rot.

Neji saw the recumbent man with the cloud hitai-ate and brain matter seeping from his ears – and the one slumped against a tree, both of his eyes hanging from their sockets. Alas, he noticed his uncle's severed head, clutched in his girlfriend's arms.

She held it up to her face and stared at it, the inception of her ambitions blossoming in her eyes.

Ino spun, startled by the sound of his approach. With Hiashi's head held up, she looked as though she was presenting it to him.

Neji reached out and received it, coating his hands in the sticky, filthy blood he'd never get used to the way she would.

He tilted the head, examining it. His uncle's eyes were in tact. "This is good," he said.

* * *

Kasai wasn't so much _different _as she was – _more_. More aggressive, more powerful, more impatient, more _violent._

And she was too much like he was. She knew all his moves before he made them. She didn't _respect _him.

He wasn't the one in charge.

Mirai Sasuke glanced at his wife. He was in her room, on the verge of leaving, when he noticed her gasps for breath.

She was hyperventilating.

Sasuke turned to face her. Hinata was seated at the head of her bed, legs drawn, and face flushed. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I – um – I – I think-"

"Just concentrate on breathing."

She wasn't making much headway.

_...thought you were past this... _At the risk of her suffocating, Sasuke re-closed the door. He kicked off his sandals and joined her on the bed.

He couldn't remember the last time he had been allowed to fall asleep, beyond superficial dozing, drifting, and waking. He reclined, and Hinata joined him, her head against his shoulder, and her arm across his chest. He listened to her increasingly deep breaths, and allowed his eyelids to lower.

Maybe she had changed. Maybe they both had.

He sunk below the surface of sleep for the first time in a long time. That night Sasuke dreamt of the future.

Everything had changed.

* * *

The Hyuuga daughters were wrapped around each other. It was childish, but it was the only way they knew how to mourn their father's death – in silence, and darkness.

"Did they hurt you?" Hinata mumbled. Her head was against her pillow, and face in her sister's hair.

"No," Hanabi responded. She sounded hoarse and obstinate. She took their father's death harder than Hinata did.

"How did you get away?" Hinata wanted to know. She had disclosed nothing about her own ordeal, but it had become insignificant to her when her little sister had gone missing.

"Your counterpart," said Hanabi, causing Hinata to blink. "And – the Uchiha's counterpart. They were together."

"Oh..." said Hinata thoughtfully.

"No, I mean, I saw them kissing," said Hanabi, causing her sister's eyes to widen. "They're – _together._"

And something in Hinata's mind _clicked. _The bedroom swayed around her.

"Oh – right."


	26. Intimacy

**Author's Note:** Currently using Lems' incredible gift-art for this story as a book cover image thingy. Check her out on deviantart peoples.

"Talking."

_Thinking._

**Telepathy.**

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 26**

She froze as the shower door opened. Her hands flew to her breasts and between her legs in an effort to conceal herself.

"What?" said her husband, tiredly rubbing the side of his head.

"Nothing," said Mirai Hinata. "You just – surprised me." Her face pink, she lowered her hands.

"Un," said Sasuke. Doffing his towel, he joined her in the shower. She expected him to go for the soap, but he went for _her._ Hinata backed into the wall.

She released a grunt as he kissed her neck, Sasuke's hands sliding to her hips and his body pressing hers. Her arms were frozen, suspended at her sides. She whimpered.

Sasuke looked up.

He eyed Hinata's deep blush, closed eyes, and parted lips.

It wasn't working for him.

Sasuke pulled away. "You can go," he deadpanned.

Hinata's eyes snapped open. She opened her mouth, then closed it, before hurrying off. Still blushing profusely, she didn't seem perturbed that he had interrupted her shower then dismissed her like a whore.

Eying her as she left, Sasuke turned up the cold water.

Her behavior confirmed it. Hinata was different.

When he finished showering, Sasuke pulled on a robe Hinata had borrowed from his room a few days before. He returned to the bedroom to notice his wife sitting on the edge of the bed in a towel, her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. Her hair was sleeked back from moisture.

Sasuke approached. "We'll work through this," he said.

Through _what, _exactly? Her newfound intimacy issues? But were they _issues, _or was this the authentic her?

Because of the changes that had been dealt on the past, the young Hinata had never been raped. Consequently, his wife's persona seemed to have changed. It was strange to him. He wasn't used to seeing her so vulnerable.

Maybe the issues were on his part. He didn't mind when she was shy, but during sex, it made her seem so innocent. He, in turn, felt dirty and wrong.

But it essentially _was _a resurrected innocence. History had been rewritten, and his wife had never been raped. _He _was the only one to have ever had her. This realization stirred strange sensations in his chest.

Sasuke sat beside Hinata and she looked up from her hands. He observed her for a while. "Let's..."

"Okay."

His lips met hers, and she didn't hesitate this time. She welcomed him into her mouth. Explored his.

Maybe it wasn't so much an intimacy problem as it was an adjustment. She had been given a new emotional capacity, and was left to experiment with it. She just had to get accustomed to her new mental make-up. He was her husband, and they had obviously been intimate throughout their remade relationship.

Kissing was a start. She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, trying not to become overwhelmed again. When their lips broke, she buried her face in his shoulder. "Sasu..."

He wouldn't have it. Sasuke pulled back to observe how flustered she was. He cupped her cheek, brushing against it with his thumb. "You seem happy," he mused. "But let's see how strong you are."

* * *

The young Hinata lowered a white rose to her father's coffin upon the few dozen others that had already been placed there. The gates to the Hyuuga compound were left open that day. People came and went, offering their condolences to the noble family.

Everyone at the wake was dressed in black. At Hinata's side stood her sister, wearing her usual obstinate expression. Pressing her lips, Hanabi lowered her eyes.

Hinata silently watched her. She felt worse for Hanabi than she did for herself. At eleven years old, Hanabi had already been robbed of both her parents. Hinata wondered if she would remember their father a decade from then. Two?

It was different for Hinata. She and her father had never been close. They had never developed that bond – the mutual understanding he and Hanabi seemed to have always shared.

Hinata found her eyes were wet, regardless. She felt lonely, and it didn't make sense. She was surrounded by relatives who were keen to support her. She had Hanabi, and more importantly, Hanabi had her. It would be years before Hinata realized the significance of this fundamental fact.

Hinata turned from her father's coffin. She saw Neji, off in a corner, drinking coffee with Ino. Black attire matching her's, both looked solemn.

But they carried a cool composure she didn't miss. Maybe Neji was accustomed to death by then. Maybe she was lagging in that avenue as well.

Among the other visitors of the wake was Kiba and Shino, Lee, Kurenai, and...the entirety of team seven. Sakura, because she had been part of the party to find her father's remains. Naruto, because he wanted to be near Sakura whenever he could. Sasuke, because – she didn't know why.

Even despite her sadness, she couldn't ignore Sasuke's presence. He might have been the reason she hadn't met the same fate as her father. She should have thanked him formally, but socializing was too much to ask of her. Not when her emotions were everywhere. Not after Hanabi's revelation.

Sasuke had protected her. He was going to – to be with her.

Someone touched her shoulder. Startled from her thoughts, Hinata looked up at one of the elders. "The council wants to meet with you for discussion in the next room Hinata."

She distractedly nodded. "I'll b-be right out."

The elder nodded and walked off, but lingered by the door, waiting for her. Hinata deeply inhaled. She threw a final glance toward her sister.

Hanabi couldn't overtly express her feelings. Hinata suspected she wanted nothing more than to be alone. Hinata trailed across the room, not toward the corridor where the elder was waiting, but to her teammates. She couldn't deal with any of it anymore. The past day's events were suffocating her. "Kiba, Shino."

"Hinata-"

"I'm so sorry."

"-will you come spar with me?" she interrupted.

Both boys paused.

"Of course," said Kiba.

He slung his arm around her shoulders, draping her like a shield. Shino walked along her other side. Hinata allowed herself to be ushered not into the hall, but through another exit that led outside. She felt several parties observe their departure, and thanked the gods she had her brothers.

* * *

Kasai had awoken early and slipped off before either of her parents could notice her absence. They had kind of lost their minds anyway so she wasn't too concerned about their discipline.

Kasai liked to explore the past Konoha and examine its nuances from _her _world. She especially liked seeing the past versions of her parents and their colleagues. To Kasai, they were _prototypes._

Unfortunately, there was only an arbitrary group of people to keep her entertained that morning.

"Tell us about the future," said Tenten, her fists clenched in determination.

They were on the training grounds and Kasai was playing with the other kunoichi's weapons scroll. She'd somehow conjured a bow, and took to idly shooting arrows at that annoying red bird that circled her continuously.

"Tenten marries Shikamaru. Temari ends up with Lee," said Kasai, who wasn't good with names.

"What?" said Tenten.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Temari.

The corner of Kasai's mouth twitched. "Shikamaru-san, you will be killed by some deer north of here."

"How troublesome," said the Nara, all but interested in his sketchy fate. Chouji dropped his precious bag of potato chips and turned worriedly to his friend.

Kasai had gone through at least a dozen arrows by then, each time missing the bird which aptly dodged.

Tenten had been looking on for a while. She had come to notice that the bird tended to evade in one of fourteen ways. When the arrow came from below it, the bird dodged to the right. When the arrow veered slightly to the left, the bird always shifted upwards.

"Let me see that," said Tenten, taking the bow from Kasai. Ignoring Temari as she bitched about Lee's freakishness, Tenten took aim for a few moments. She adjusted and re-adjusted her arrow, the bow waving in rhythm with the bird's movements. She drew the string taut.

"No, it – it just can't be right!" Temari shook Shikamaru.

Tenten released the bow, and laughed as it struck. The bird strangely dissipated, inorganic, like chakra_. _Grinning victoriously, Tenten turned back to the others just in time to notice Kasai's eyes roll upwards.

"Ano-?"

The child collapsed to the ground unconscious and her company froze. Chouji dropped his recovered bag of chips.

Temari summed up everyone's thoughts in one utterance: _"Shit."_

The teenagers darted off in different directions, abandoning the unconscious Kasai.

None of them wanted to be on the receiving end of either Sasukes' insanity.

* * *

They were dressed in the dark clothing usually worn beneath their uniforms, Hinata in a sleeveless turtleneck, and Sasuke in a long-sleeved shirt. To some, they might have been in mourning. Maybe it was their subtle contribution of respect.

"Are you still worried about Kasai?" Mirai Hinata asked.

Mirai Sasuke glanced her way. His wife was twiddling her thumbs. She didn't usually do that. He eyed her.

"Don't be," she continued

Sasuke ignored her, instead taking inventory of their surroundings. They had found a clearing deep enough in Konoha's woods to ensure privacy. He hoped.

"She's probably playing somewhere. Sh-she'll be fine," said Hinata despite Sasuke's subtle anger. She could sense his bubbling frustration. She wanted to fix herself for him, but didn't know what that meant. He saw her as less than she had been.

She felt that way at times. But at others, she felt _whole_.

She knew she had lost many of the skills she had adopted solely because of the Kumo attacks – the sensory training she had partaken in with Hanabi – the hate and will she'd had to become stronger, and _never get hurt again_.

But what if other skills had supplemented the lost ones? It was her chance to find out.

Still, the concept of sparring with her husband unnerved her in ways it never had before. Panic crept up her chest as she watched him approach.

"C'mon," he said.

She gasped as he made a swift strike to her throat leaving her struggling to breathe. A kick to her torso sent her backwards, but she managed to regain her footing. Hinata knelt down and grasped the earth as she watched Sasuke continue to approach.

**So maybe you _are _emotionally healthy for once in your life.**

Did it disappoint him?

**Physically, you're lagging.**

She tried to intercept his next strike, but he was stronger than her. She fell to her side, the grass caressing her face.

"You can't even fight back."

Hinata wearily climbed up to all fours. "Sasuke – I-"

"-_can't _even get a sentence out." Sasuke drew his sword.

Hinata rolled out of the way, dodging the blade. She resurfaced behind him, and slammed his kidney with chakra, more out of instinct than intent. Her eyes widened as he grunted in pain.

She should have followed up with another attack, but could only stare as Sasuke's legs trembled. He spun to face her regardless, his sharingan activated, tomoe spinning. She lunged at his heart, but he caught her wrist. Hinata cried out as a pulse of electricity shot through her body. Her knees buckling, she crumpled to the ground, muscles twitching and shuddering of their own accord.

"Hn," said Sasuke, turning, as though to leave.

Hinata arduously climbed to her feet behind him.

Sasuke spun and struck out expecting to catch her off guard. Hinata instead darted away, using the mili-second that Sasuke's dominant arm was extended to press several spots along it with her pointer and middle fingers.

_She wasn't supposed to know how to do that..._

Sasuke raised and stared at his palm, failing to accumulate the electricity he was so apt at using. He turned back to Hinata, who looked stunned; defenseless.

Hinata flipped backwards just in time to dodge his sword. It caught her shirt though, leaving a tear along her torso. Sasuke pursued her, and she continued to meticulously dodge the blade, all the while accumulating more tears upon her clothing and cuts along her arms. She noticed her hair was mostly spared, though it swung about freely unlike her clothes and limbs.

Maybe he liked her hair.

"You're distracted," said Sasuke, his latest assault leaving most of her chest and torso exposed. He knew his wife had reverted to a socially shyer state. He expected her exposure to distract her from the fight.

On the contrary, it was he who was scrutinizing her face when his focus should have been on her limbs.

He choked as she cuffed his groin in a move that was usually exclusive to Naruto. Before he could recover, her fist caught his jaw, then her palms slammed his chest.

_Jyuuken._

Sasuke was thrown backwards, his back connecting with a tree. He kept his footing, though the air had been knocked from his lungs.

He watched Hinata freeze, her eyes wide, as though she was startled by her actions. She clumsily began to back away, when something stung her ankle. She hissed in pain and looked down.

A snake slithered sluggishly in the grass about her ankles.

Hinata looked back up, meeting eyes with Sasuke. He had not moved, but his left thumb was in his mouth, nursing a wound there. She didn't miss the glimmer of victory in his eyes.

With even less composure than she'd had before, Hinata continued to retreat, though the effects of the venom were already gripping her. She felt sluggish and numb. She staggered away from the clearing, away from _Sasuke, _through brush and trees, eventually coming upon a lake she had subconsciously recounted. Cupping her trembling hands, she leaned over it, desperate to rinse the snake bite, but instead her muscles resigned and she fell forward into the water.

Her body resurfaced and she floated about on her back, half-lidded eyes focused on the canopy of leaves above her.

She heard Sasuke approach. "The venom wasn't poisonous. It paralyzed you, but it should wear off shortly," he muttered.

She heard the sound of him stepping upon the water's surface, followed by a gasp, a splash, and an eerie silence as tendrils of water drew him further and further towards the bottom of the lake.

Hinata weakly smiled. Small streams of water dove in and out of her deep snake bite, rinsing it thoroughly, though the venom had already affected her considerably. She allowed herself to drift toward the banks, before climbing messily out of it, coating herself in mud. Hunched forward, she moved heavily away from the lake, throwing it one last glance.

The water was ridden with unnatural ripples, a few bubbles guzzling up to the lake's center every now and then. Hinata staggered more hurriedly away, but froze when she heard the splashing of Sasuke breaking the water's surface.

Without hesitance, he launched himself at her. They became a tangle of limbs on the ground, both fighting for leverage. Sasuke pinned her, raising his right arm, and belatedly recalling that his chakra in it had been sealed.

Hinata threw all her weight against him, knocking him to the ground beneath her. Straddling his waist, she snatched a kunai from his holster and pressed it hard enough to his throat to draw blood. Both remained frozen in their positions, panting. Sasuke glared heatedly up at her, sharingan glowing.

Sensing the fight was over, Hinata began to climb off him.

Sasuke grabbed her collar and pulled her back down.

* * *

Kasai groggily opened her eyes. Hovering over her were three figures. Her gaze drifted from Kiba, to Shino, and lastly to her young mother. "Eugh," she vocalized how she felt.

The members of team eight were all dressed in black. The three eyed her quizzically, two with suspicion, one with unease.

"What are you doing out here?" Kiba wanted to know.

Kasai didn't know, so she habitually deflected. "What are _you _doing out here?"

"We just finished training," said Kiba. "We were just going to treat Hinata to ice cream-"

"Ice cream?" Kasai interrupted, her eyes lighting up. "Yatta!"

A few birds vacated the surrounding trees.

The progression back to the village was an uneventful one, the members of Team eight silent and solemn as Kasai yammered almost – hysterically – about her favorite ice cream flavors. Hinata fidgeted madly, making sure not to meet her eyes.

Why was Kasai suddenly older? Hinata was still so confused. And why was she the only one who seemed to notice?

On top of that, she was fearful of prompting Kasai's confirmation that she was her mother.

It was more evident now than it had been when Kasai was still only five, but they had the same eyes. For the most part.

Hinata hoped the others didn't notice how sweaty, silent, and flustered she was. But in the wake of her father's death, they didn't take offense to her reclusiveness.

Except for Kasai, who was perpetually pining for attention. Fortunately enough, it was focused on Kiba.

"What's your favorite flavor? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

"Er – peanut butter."

"What? Eww!"

As they passed Ichiraku, Hinata noticed that Sasuke was there with Naruto, and her blush increased tenfold.

What if he tried to talk to her? Would it be offensive if she didn't acknowledge him at all?

And what about Naruto, seated beside him, looking so goofy, warm, and affable? Was she willing to surrender everything she felt for him because of a feeble forecast?

But Sasuke...was Sasuke.

She realized this as he caught her eye.

Hinata watched Sasuke climb to his feet, continuing to hold her gaze as he carefully began to approach.

And Hinata did the only thing she could think to do at that cardinal moment. She turned on her heel and ran for her life.

* * *

The young Sasuke watched Hinata and her teammates walk by Ichiraku ramen.

"Ask her to be your girlfriend."

It must have been really obvious if even Naruto was catching on.

"What?" he said, feigning confusion.

"Ask her."

"No."

"Why not?" said Naruto.

Girls usually just declared their love for him. He didn't ask them out or anything like that.

"Suit yourself," said Naruto, slurping.

And now Sasuke was getting annoyed. At Naruto, Hinata – everyone who contributed to his mounting anxiety.

He should have left it alone. Her father had just died. Someone had attempted to _rape _her.

Why was he irritated, regardless? He again looked at Hinata to notice that she had been watching him. Gathering his resolve, he stood and began to approach her-

Before freezing at the sight of her running off, arms raised in terror.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. He didn't know what compelled him to take chase.

* * *

Hinata tore through the woods, failing to see the irony of this. She also failed to notice the fact that Uchiha Sasuke was chasing her – that Kiba and Shino were chasing him, and Naruto, chasing _them_.

She wasn't aware of anything really, not her rash behavior, or cluttered surroundings, just that she had to get _as far away as possible._

She stopped just short of a clearing, when something finally _did _penetrate her haze of panic and hysteria.

Panting noises.

Grunts, as though someone was in pain.

Hinata cautiously crept into the clearing, and immediately regretted it.

Her and Sasuke's future counterparts were half-dressed, on the forest floor, and they were _all over each other. _Mirai Sasuke was kissing Mirai Hinata's neck, one of his hands in her torn turtleneck, and Mirai Hinata's hand, it was – it was down Mirai Sasuke's pants!

The young Sasuke entered the clearing after her, abruptly stopping beside her, similarly frozen, and looking alarmed. He was quickly followed by Shino and Kiba, trauma blooming in their young eyes. The last to arrive was the gaping Naruto, who crashed into Kiba, knocking the both of them to the ground.

The young Hinata released an extraterrestrial squeak.

Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata looked up, finally noticing their audience. Shocked expressions crossed their faces.

"Fuck."


	27. Persona

**Author's Note:** Be sure to discriminate between Sakura and Inner Sakura.

Mirai means Future.

"Talking."

_Thinking._

**Telepathy.**

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 27**

When he began to fondle her, she knew it was a challenge. She stuck her hand down his pants and returned the gesture. She felt his breathing thicken, and felt him harden in her grasp.

That's when someone released a strange squeaking noise.

Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata quickly looked up.

"Fuck," said Mirai Hinata.

They stared at their staring counterparts, but mostly at the young Sasuke.

They hadn't known he could blush like that.

Mirai Hinata gasped as she was dumped unceremoniously off her husband. His composure was shaken, and both of them knew it.

But to their young counterparts, he was the picture of indifference.

Mirai Sasuke stood and zipped his pants, somehow ignoring his considerable erection. "What are you doing here?" he said coolly, subtly deflecting the matter from him.

The young Sasuke, Hinata, Kiba and Shino wore matching looks of mortification. The young Naruto was mostly just clutching his nose.

Young Hinata swooned. "I was, um, w-we were-"

She fainted.

Mirai Sasuke sighed. He pointed his finger at Shino, before shifting it to Kiba, then back to Shino, before finally settling on Naruto. "You. Take her home."

Still clutching his face, Naruto nodded.

"The rest of you get lost," said Mirai Sasuke. He glanced at his wife seated on ground, clutching her clothes to herself. "Now."

There was a brief hesitation, followed by three utterances of "Hai."

Naruto and Shino lifted the young Hinata by the shoulders and hauled her off. Kiba walked into a tree, and the young Sasuke continued to gape. He abruptly looked away, began to walk off, and tripped over Kiba.

Mirai Sasuke offered Mirai Hinata his hand. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

The young Sakura sat on the edge of Ino's bed staring at her lap.

Sasuke was usually the peak of her focus, but suddenly...everything had shifted. She couldn't shake the sight of that forest clearing. It was seared into her memory. The blood, the bodies, the Hyuuga leader's disembodied head, jaw slack, eyes blankly staring.

Eyes that had been ivory a sallow yellow. Face covered in blood, and flies buzzing about his mouth.

The odor was the worst of it. It made her stomach heave even then.

Sakura glanced at Ino who was seated at the head of her bed, her legs drawn up, and her back against the wall. She was absently gazing through the adjacent window, though not really looking at anything. Ino carried a sense of calm that offended her.

Sakura couldn't stop thinking about what had happened to Hyuuga Hiashi as his daughters helplessly stood by. She huffed. "I haven't been able to eat, or sleep, or – focus," she said, unconsciously gripping the comforter. She glanced at her friend and noticed she was still staring off into the village. "Ino!" said Sakura, causing the other kunoichi to jump.

The blonde seemed to take notice of her. Her features furrowed in sympathy. "You're traumatized," said Ino.

Sakura didn't know why she was so – affected. She had seen death a hundred times before. Hiashi's murder just made her painfully aware of the fragility of her loved ones and the impotence her abilities could prove. All she wanted to do was heal – protect. She shivered as she thought of her teammates.

Her mind lingered on Naruto, and all those intent to kill him for no reason beyond his identity. How Kyuubi itself was volatile and keen to tear him to pieces.

They'd been together for so long, searching for Sasuke. He had nearly killed himself on dozens of occasions, and duly, she'd picked him back up with her healing chakra.

What would she do when that stopped working?

Sakura was surprised to notice that Ino was smiling. The Yamanaka's gaze had shifted to her hands. They were shaking, not in unease, but excitement. She wanted to protect her loved ones, but by another means.

Sakura swallowed as she understood. Hiashi's death had served as inspiration for them both.

Sakura wanted to heal.

Ino wanted to cut.

"You're a fucking lunatic," Sakura remarked as she stood. Ino looked up, blinking, but Sakura stormed off. She padded down the stairs and slammed the front door behind her, ignoring as it fractured the frame.

She couldn't fucking deal with it. She didn't want to think about it, but the image occupied every moment of her consciousness. And suddenly she just wanted to break something. A person. A thing. Her fists clenched until her hands bled. She stalked off, plotting and seething, until someone had the poor judgment to grab her shoulder.

Expecting it was Ino, Sakura spun around and lunged out, when her fist was pushed just past her target. Instead she fell into it – a lean, muscled torso. The cotton jacket was irritatingly familiar. Someone's hand lowered to her head, and she grit her teeth, her fists knotting in that stupid jacket.

"Calm down."

Sakura blinked. As she had expected, it was Naruto's voice...but hoarser, deeper. It wasn't abundantly loud, but tactful, gentle, almost – _attractive_. She belatedly noticed how tall her companion was. Lifting her face from the jacket, she peered up at Mirai Naruto.

Her eyes met his humorless expression. He raised an eyebrow. "Better?"

"Um." It withered despite her. That anger. That _edge_ she used when she needed it the most. It disappeared to be replaced with embarrassment. She had never been at such a close proximity to Mirai Naruto, or any of the future counterparts for that matter.

He had never been so solemn in her previous sightings of him either. Though this Naruto was similar to the one she'd grown up with, she spotted some key nuances. Subtle fangs. Scars on his hands. Weary eyes and a bristled chin.

"Where should you be?" he said tiredly.

"Training?" Sakura moreso asked than answered.

He nodded towards the training grounds not meeting her eyes again. "Then off you go."

She detached herself from him. "Right."

* * *

His wife was still sitting on the edge of his bed holding the shirt he'd doffed to her chest. She was staring at the floor, at the wall – anywhere but at him. Mirai Sasuke eyed her, not knowing whether to be suspicious or confused. "You weren't so timid in the forest," he accused.

"A-Ano..."

She had completely reverted. Face flushed, she began to arbitrarily press her pointer fingers together. His cheek twitched. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm _embarrassed_." She glared.

_There it was._

Her.

Sasuke remained skeptical. Turning away, he walked to his closet, grabbing some clothes and a towel. He had somewhere he was supposed to be. "We'll finish this later," he said.

He wasn't referring to their conversation.

Sasuke paused when he suddenly felt her behind him. Her body pressed his back, and her hands met with his bare torso, fingers strumming along his pectorals in such an evocative way. He inhaled, feeling her lips against the base of his neck. _You're still good at sex,_ he silently conceded.

"I'm me," she assured him.

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder. He didn't mind the blush sometimes.

"Don't act as though you haven't changed as well," said Hinata.

* * *

They sat on various pieces of furniture in Kiba's rugged living room. His mother was out, which was probably for the better considering the obscenities he was muttering under his breath.

"I'll kill him," growled Kiba, who was gnawing on a throw cushion.

"Who?" A shaky voice cut through the tense air.

Kiba looked up. His livid expression became a defeated one. They all knew it was obvious. "Hinata."

Seated on the couch, she stared at her knees, holding them tightly. Her long hair curtained her blank expression. On the arm of the chair opposite her Shino watched her in silence.

Kiba continued, "Your counterpart and – _his_ counterpart-"

"P-Please don't say it Kiba," Hinata cut him off.

He swallowed. "You're Kasai's mother."

It was the first time she'd heard it aloud and awarded her with a new rush of panic. _Right._ She was going to be a mother. _Her_. The mother of Sasuke's child. Her breathing thinned but she feebly nodded. "I – I think so."

"How do you feel?"

Hinata ignored the cold sweat that coated her temple. How did she feel? _How was she supposed to feel?_

She had seen Mirai Sasuke with Kasai on a number of occasions. He wasn't a bad father. Maybe he wasn't a bad – what? – boyfriend? Husband? Lover? Her fingers tensed.

She had always imagined if she _did _inexplicably become someone's bride, that she would be a good one. Modest, quiet, and respectful, never speaking, acting, or – touching – out of turn. But just the sight of her counterpart doing those despicable – _things_ – alarmed her to no end. Were all the counterparts that depraved?

"Hinata..."

She'd had longer to process it than her teammates had, but it was all still so new to her. She tried to articulate how it weighed on her. "I f-feel s-scared. Overwhelmed. A-and...u-um..."

Butterflies stirred in her stomach even then. Her thoughts failed to deviate from the boy who had saved her. The boy who watched her so intently. She had feelings for Sasuke. That much was evident.

* * *

The young Sasuke was pale.

All this time he had _thought_ he'd wanted to know.

And now he knew.

He glanced at Naruto, who looked as though he might burst into song. "What are you so happy about?" said Sasuke dryly.

Naruto jerked his head slightly, indicating Sakura, who was still far enough away that she couldn't hear their conversation. The boys approached their team meeting spot with increased sluggishness.

"How do you feel?" said Naruto, still grinning maniacally.

Shocked. Embarrassed. Dazed. "Relieved."

Naruto blinked. His grin faded, to be replaced with a more genuine smile. "You really like her."

"Since when do we talk about girls?"

"Since Mirai-_you_ and Mirai Hinata were banging in the middle of the-"

Sasuke shoved Naruto away where he crashed into some nearby cacti.

Naruto was right. The revelation was confirmation. And he _did _really like her. Sasuke drew and exhaled.

He had been tired of questioning himself, and tired of being confused about his feelings. Suddenly exasperation had been replaced with precious clarity, but also feelings of...apprehension he wasn't used to. He would never admit how intimidating it had become. Hyuuga Hinata. The concept of the future.

Naruto climbed out of the bushes and rejoined him, grin in full force. He seemed endlessly amused, if not just happy. No. _He_ was relieved too, and not only because Sasuke's future-self being with Hinata's future-self opened up the possibility of him ending up with Sakura.

Naruto was his brother. He had gone though hell and back keeping an eye on him.

He figured Hinata was cutting him a break.

"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?" said Sakura, as the boys finally reached the bridge. She reached out to touch his forehead, but Sasuke dismissed her.

"Him and Hinata were _doing it,_" Naruto jovially proclaimed.

Sasuke and Sakura turned sharply to him, the Uchiha wearing a dangerous expression.

"Sasuke, is this true?" said Kakashi, who seemed to have appeared out of no where, on time for reasons beyond their comprehension. Icha Icha lay on the ground, collecting dust.

Sasuke opened his mouth, but paused. It was the first time Kakashi had seen him hesitate. He seemed more like a fifteen-year-old than ever before.

"No," said Sasuke, belatedly. He wanted to clarify, but mostly _just didn't._

Instead Naruto elaborated. "She was stroking his-"

"_What?" _said Sakura.

"And he was fluffing her- argh!" said Naruto, as Sasuke tackled him.

* * *

So maybe he had changed. Hinata hadn't been savagely raped, and he hadn't stood by helplessly listening. He had been fifteen. Of course he had been affected. It was _Hinata._

She became his wife.

The secondary matter of pertinence was that Hinata was suddenly _his._ He was the only person she had ever been with. He was responsible for preserving that trust and innocence. She surrendered herself wholly every time they were intimate. She was emotionally in tact, and she was _his_.

So maybe he was – happier. For ten years, he had felt that he'd failed her. His guilt had disappeared, as had her burden of trauma.

In its place, many of her vulnerabilities had reappeared, and were becoming moreso...charming than unnerving as he got used to them. Her barriers were down, and he couldn't help wanting to explore everything that had been lying beyond them.

_I'm turning into a perve,_ Mirai Sasuke realized, as he walked into the Academy and started up the stairs.

He had Kasai by her upper arm and took to dragging her along behind him, mostly ignoring her complaints. Something about ice cream. _Isn't she hyperactive? _Sasuke wondered as he released her, and exited onto the roof.

There, two other preteens were waiting, looking dehydrated and exhausted, probably because they had been sitting there for the past two hours. In unison, they looked up at him, surprised.

"Sorry I'm late," said Mirai Sasuke insincerely. "I was-" he paused. "Never mind."

"I thought we were getting Neji," said Hanabi, peering at him.

Seated beside her was an ill-looking boy who was furiously wiping his nose on his sleeve. Having granted Sasuke two female subordinates despite the protests of the other jounin, Tsunade had decided to balance things out by giving him not the top, but the bottom male student.

...what was his name again?

"Have a seat," Sasuke told Kasai as he looked down at his new subordinates. He waited for her reluctant compliance, before continuing. "I'm your new jounin sensei."

"You're not a jounin!" declared Kasai, pointing an accusing finger at him.

Sasuke wasn't a sociable person. He generally tried to keep his daily word-count at the bare minimum. He stared at Kasai and realized things were changing. "I am now," he said.

"But tousan-!"

"Call me sensei."

"T-tousan?"

"_Sensei."_

Her eyes became suspiciously watery.

Sasuke ignored her. "I appreciate all of you coming to this preliminary meeting. I'd like to introduce myself and get to know the three of you." Even _he_ wasn't buying it. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. As you probably know, I'm from the future. While here, I'd like to keep myself occupied, and hopefully forge some new alliances."

"Aren't you Orochimaru's bitch? Aren't you trying to destroy Konoha and kill us all?" said Hanabi.

Mirai Sasuke eyed her, noting the irony of her remark. So he hadn't been the sanest at fifteen. He stared as the boy beside her blubbered into a handkerchief.

"Hana," force of habit. "-_Bi._" He missed her like this. Young. Sardonic. "You go first. Tell us about yourself."

"What's the point. Don't you already know everything? Tell us about our futures," said Hanabi.

Sasuke gave her a cold stare. He was new to pre-teens and didn't enjoy all the back-talk.

Hanabi sighed. Even in the wake of her father's death, her composure was unshakable. "I'm Hyuuga Hanabi. I like riceballs with jelly-"

_Except when he burned them..._

"-and...ano...strawberry pocky. I hate boys, and weaklings, and – weakling boys! I want to be in the ANBU Interrogation Force."

Sasuke stared at her. "Right." He turned away. "You-" He pointed at the boy seated beside her, racking his mind. "Udon?"

Udon was covered in tears and mucus. His entire being seemed unhygienic. Sasuke unconsciously took a step back.

"I'm sorry. Th-this is really hard for me." Udon forced out words between his sobs. "Moegi's upset that w-we're not on the same team. She won't even talk to me! What do I do?" Udon looked up at Sasuke with desperate, tear-filled eyes.

Sasuke's cheek twitched. "Okay, we'll come back to you..."

He noticed that Hanabi never looked at Udon even though she was seated right beside him. It was a conscious effort, and it was...curious. Sasuke glanced at Kasai, wondering if _she_ was still crying, but she wasn't even paying attention. She was staring off the roof and at something in the distance, her cheeks flushed. Sasuke followed her gaze to a flailing, orange blob by the bridge.

The young Naruto.

Sasuke blanched. "Kasai."

She jumped. "Otousan-sensei!"

Mirai Sasuke didn't realize how heavily he was breathing, nor did he notice that his subordinates thought he was having a heart attack. He turned from Hanabi's hopeful gaze, to Udon's worried one, and finally, Kasai's skeptic look.

Being a jounin was more difficult than he had anticipated. "Meeting adjourned."

* * *

Mirai Hinata peered into her bathroom mirror that evening. Had she really changed that much? She glared at her reflection.

She had developed an attitude. Maybe it had rubbed off on her from Sasuke, Hanabi, Neji, or another of her model influences. Maybe it was just another side-effect of her newfound emotional freedom.

She was having difficulty controlling all the new emotions. Everyone could read her like a book now. She couldn't look at her husband without blushing. She looked away from her mirror, blushing more.

She could also attribute it to what their counterparts had walked in on. Her and Sasuke's relationship had been revealed. How were they to ride that off? How had their young counterparts been affected? And most importantly, how would it all affect the timeline?

She couldn't shake the sight of their shocked, traumatized faces. She just hoped Kasai didn't disappear again.

Hinata looked up when she heard people walking along the corridor outside the room. She exited the bathroom and made her way to the bedroom door, opening it and peeking out of it.

She had been wondering if Mirai Naruto and Sakura had finally returned, but was met with the sight of Sasuke and Kasai. She opened the door wider, stepping out of the room as they approached.

Sasuke seemed appreciative for that afternoon. Touching her waist, he leaned in as though to kiss her, but paused. Kasai was oogling them in morbid fascination. They were used to their five-year-old, not this older child with an acute level of awareness. After the day's events, they were weary of spectators.

Hinata felt Sasuke's lips connect with her cheek.

"Ewww," mentioned Kasai.

There were a lot of new dynamics to their relationship. It would take some getting used to.

Sasuke patted Kasai's shoulder. "Stay with your mother," he said, fatigued.

Kasai opened and closed her mouth as if to protest, but her father walked off. She glared up at her mother. "Kaasan," she said grimly.

Hinata blinked as Kasai stomped passed her into the room.

"Sasuke," Hinata called, just before Sasuke could enter his room across the hall. She quickly closed their distance, glancing back to make sure Kasai was out of sight. "Sasuke, I-"

He pulled her against him and kissed her properly. She melted in his arms, but feebly tried to escape. "No – I mean, I wanted to ask-"

"She doesn't like you," Sasuke said, kissing her neck.

"But why?" said Hinata, her blush building as she felt his hands slip into her pants and slide down her hips.

"You're in charge."

She blinked. It never struck her that she played the role of the disciplinarian. "But what if she tries to kill me?"

Sasuke shrugged, seeming otherwise distracted.

"Sasu...un...someone will see us."

"Everyone already knows."

"What's wrong with you?"

"I don't want to think about it."

Hinata escaped Sasuke's arms, only after assuring him repetitively that their impressionable daughter was only a few yards away. She entered her room and leaned on the door, hair and clothes disheveled. She looked down at Kasai, who was sprawled in the bed, already asleep.

She didn't know Kasai as a nine-year-old, and didn't know how to deal with her. She found she was mostly powerless as Kasai did whatever she pleased. She was supposed to command respect, but had yet to test it. And Hinata was beginning to suspect Kasai was taking advantage of the situation.

_Figure it out, _Sasuke had mentioned, petulant about her departure.

Sighing, Hinata climbed into the bed beside Kasai and fell asleep. She awoke a few hours later to the sound of crying.

"Un...what...?"

Mirai Hinata opened one of her eyes. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was just after midnight.

Midnight.

Hinata sat up and felt around the lamp on her nightstand, eventually turning it on. Beside her on the bed, Kasai had disappeared, to be replaced with a small, crying heap in the sheets. She lifted a corner and peered into it.

"Oh."

* * *

"Shhhh," Mirai Hinata murmured, pacing the hallway with the baby in her arms.

It was alarming to realize how volatile the timeline was. Every action they made seemed to have drastic effects on the future. Hinata continued to pace, and the crying finally began to subside.

She looked up as she heard a new pair of feet enter the guest wing. She turned around, and her face lit up. "Naruto," she whispered, relieved to see him after such a while.

The blonde approached. "Woah, whose baby is this?"

She held the baby at arms length where she gurgled and drooled adorably.

"Kasai," Mirai Naruto grinned. "Why's she's tiny again?" he laughed, taking her and lifting her high.

Hinata sighed. She was still trying to figure that out herself. At least this was a version of Kasai she was familiar with. But how were they going to stabilize her age?

She glanced at Naruto. "Where have you been?"

His fox grin was in full force, but it didn't extend to his eyes. She saw the lines beneath them. "Why does it matter? Did Sasuke miss me?"

Hinata blinked. He was being evasive. Naruto handed the baby back to her.

"I'm getting some sleep," Naruto mentioned, throwing her a wave as he walked towards his room.

Hinata stared after him. "Naruto-kun. Where's Sakura?"

His hand on his doorknob, Naruto paused. "Oh," he said, as though he'd forgotten something. He glanced back at her, his grin becoming pained.

And so he admitted it.

"She's dead."


	28. Interlude 7

**Author's Note:**

By "discriminate between Sakura and Inner Sakura," I was actually referring to the scene with young Sakura and Mirai Naruto in the last chapter. Did you notice how he sort of pacified an oncoming episode?

Kudos to chiolo for realizing what happened to Mirai Sakura.

Ann- Though Tsunade originally died years before Kasai was born, in chapter one Kasai was just mimicking Naruto, who referred to Tsunade as "baa-chan" a little earlier. Similarly, she copies Sasuke after he activates the sharingan in chapter two, and in chapter three Mirai Sasuke thinks, 'He half-expected Kasai to mimic him as she usually did...' And later Kasai mimics him by saying "Hn," in chapter six. She's an oddball, that kid...

Thanks so much for all your incredible reviews. You guys are the perfect combination of intelligent, kind, and hilarious. I wish I could respond to each of you individually, but I'm pretty swamped.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 7**

Ino stood the in shower, scrubbing her hair, hoping to wash the stink of blood off her. Neji couldn't stand it.

She didn't blame him.

Her skills as a mind specialist made her invaluable to the Interrogation Force, just as her father had been before her. It didn't mean she didn't have to get her hands dirty from time to time.

And it wasn't that she didn't...enjoy it. Her post in the torture squad. Her powers of pain and persuasion.

Her eyelids growing increasingly heavy, Ino continued through the mechanical motions of washing the day off. All she wanted to do was climb into bed and close her eyes.

As second commander, her schedule was tight, and personal time, limited. In addition to her own duties, she was tasked with compensating for her superior's absence.

Anko had been on reconnaissance for the past few years. Ino rarely saw or received correspondence from her, and when she did, it was brief and unhelpful. She swore the woman was mad.

But rumor had it Anko wasn't coming back. If it was true, Ino was facing an attractive promotion to captain. She just wished the Hokage would officialize it already.

After she finished rinsing off, Ino turned off the shower. She climbed out of it, clumsy from fatigue. Grabbing a towel, she dried herself off and wrapped it around her. She turned to the mirror, meeting her blank expression. She pulled back her hair to better scrutinize her face.

She had to commend herself on still managing to look good despite it all. ...Regardless of the redness under eyes. Ino rubbed them, worsening the matter. She found a hair band and tied it back.

At twenty, her hair was still pale, and blonde, and longer than anyone thought was wise. Her eyes weren't bright like Naruto's, but a deep, depthless blue. Some said she had almost ethereal features. Anko once said their charges were privileged to be tortured by someone _like her_.

_Try telling _them_ that, _Ino thought, rolling her eyes.

It was almost daybreak by the time she made it to her bedroom.

She climbed into bed and under the sheets, worming her way into her husband's arms. He opened one of his eyes and peered at her, before deeming it best to close it again.

"Kakashi sent word for you. A mission with Hanabi today," Neji muttered, adjusting his head so not to be suffocated by blonde hair.

"What?" said Ino, her voice muffled in his chest. "Who's going to cover for me?" Her lack of co-leadership was becoming a recurring issue. "Sasuke's gone soft ever since he knocked up Hinata. And why am I stuck baby-sitting your cousin again?"

"Take it up with Kakashi."

Ino groaned. Neji was famously unsympathetic.

She knew he was leaving for mission in another hour, so closed her eyes and fell asleep against him, enjoying the way he held her back. His subtle reciprocations were all she wanted. She didn't need ninjutsu to tell his thoughts.

She awoke alone just before noon with reluctance and a lingering fatigue. Yawning as she stood, she went about getting dressed in her usual crop top and miniskirt. She had never been one for ANBU armor.

She stood in the bedroom mirror and whistled to herself as she put on her earrings, followed by a red hair clip. Her long bangs hung in her dominant eye, concealing almost a third of her face. Sometimes Neji would pull it back, as if in search of her cruel alternate.

He didn't peg her for a torturer.

Ino smiled at her appearance when her transformation was complete.

She made it to the Hokage tower within fifteen minutes, and was briefed on the mission in five minutes from then. It seemed pretty straight-forward. She and Hanabi were to transport a missing nin from Kusa to Konoha for trial.

The nin was B-rank. As Ino had expected, the mission was considerably below her level. Kakashi was giving Hanabi another chance with missions, and wanted her to keep an eye on her.

"Ja," she called to the Hokage, exiting his office with the mission folder tucked under her arm. She almost bumped into Hanabi who stood just outside the door. The small-framed kunoichi wore an air of indifference, her arms hanging at her flanks, and her eyes wrapped in the white bandages her sister changed for her every morning. There was a subtle disgust in her bearing.

Not everyone understood the ANBU.

Hanabi failed to move out of the way, and it wasn't her blindness. It was almost a challenge.

Her fingers twitching, Ino refrained from returning it. "Let's go, _Hanabi-chan,_" she said condescendingly. "You must be excited. This is your first mission in quite a while."

Ino stalked off and listened to Hanabi silently follow, like a small grim reaper.

But Ino's hands were filthy from years of spilled blood. Had she the psychological aptitude, maybe she would have been unnerved.

* * *

Sasuke stood by the door of the meeting room soaked in apathy. His hands were pocketed, not crossed. His muscled limbs were loose, not rigid. Still, upon closer examination, one might have spotted something beyond indifference. Exasperation.

There was bickering beyond the door, followed by a curt dismissal, then movement. Finally, the door swung open.

"-and we are not involving ourselves in that dispute," Hinata snapped to the elders within. She exited the room, walking past him in her preoccupation.

"Hinata."

His wife paused, and looked back at him.

She wasn't used to seeing Sasuke in civilian clothes. His ANBU armor and weaponry had been shed to be replaced with a simple black yukata. He looked so human for once. Even his hitai-ate was gone, leaving his bangs hanging in his onyx eyes.

Her hitai-ate was absent as well. She was a civilian for the time being.

"You shouldn't be holding meetings," Sasuke deadpanned.

"I have to," said Hinata, as Sasuke approached. "A lot of these are time-sensitive issues. I appreciate you staying-"

"Of course I stayed."

"I could use your help-"

"When the baby is born."

Hinata paused. "Right."

She forced a feeble smile. She was nervous. It was cute. He held her waist lest she tried to escape. She wore a loose lilac dress and sandals, her long hair draping her shoulders. Her round abdomen stood between them. She was due any time that week.

Sasuke paused when he suddenly heard a bird call. In unison, the two looked up at the sky. Sasuke absently released her, perturbed by the sight of it.

"It's a mission hawk," said Hinata blankly, staring as the bird descended on them.

As both had expected, the hawk was aimed for Sasuke. It glided through the air to gracefully perch on his raised forearm, talons digging into skin where there previously had been armor. Sasuke saw Hinata's vacant expression.

He untied the note from the hawk's leg before thrusting it back into the air. It didn't linger, but flew off towards the tower.

Hinata watched it disappear into the sky. It sought no return correspondence, as if Sasuke was predictable enough to concede to whatever was written. Kakashi was confident.

Sasuke quickly scanned note with his eyes. "He just wants to talk," he mentioned. He looked back up at Hinata.

Another hasty smile crossed her face. "Right," she said again. He caught her thin breathing and subtle signs of hyperventilation.

Sasuke stared at her. "Don't cry," he said.

"I'm – not – crying," Hinata retorted between thinly veiled sobs. She looked down, gasping pathologically. She was hormonal.

He tried a different approach. "You like when I'm around," he accused

Hinata looked up, wet eyes momentarily forgotten. Her forced smile softened to a more beautiful one. "Of course I don't," she said wearily, her breathing deepening again. Her eyes widened as he cornered her. "No – Sasuke – don't –"

He kissed her despite fact that she didn't like being kissed anymore, because she was pregnant, and unsightly, and the baby likely found it offensive. She reluctantly reciprocated. He felt her smile against his lips before pulling back, observing her very pretty face. "You need to relax." He'd never said it before. It felt odd on his tongue. He noticed he was becoming very protective. Overprotective?

She looked fallen, catching his uncharacteristic apprehension. "Un."

"I'll be back soon," he said, kissing her temple. With that, he departed.

The walk to the Hokage tower left him alone in his thoughts which he didn't enjoy, so he focused it on the scenery. Stripped of his uniform, it was like seeing Konoha in another's perspective. People didn't notice the plainness of his apparel and its sudden lack of authority. They didn't notice him at all.

He didn't mind the lack of attention, though there were some whose notice he never evaded.

"Sasuke," said Naruto when they arbitrarily crossed paths, as they often did. "I haven't seen you lately, how are you guys?"

It was an innocent enough inquiry, but Sasuke stiffened. "Hinata's – good," he said evasively. It summed up how much he could express himself on the matter of his impending fatherhood. Hinata wasn't the only one with nerves.

"You should be with her! Where are you going?"

"I'm stopping by the Hokage-"

Naruto bristled. "Hokage? What? You heard something?"

"No, I – didn't mean to-"

"Right, um, I'm gonna head off." Naruto shuffled away, and Sasuke eyed him.

It was a turning point in all their lives.

* * *

He arrived at the Hokage tower minutes later and made his way upstairs with heavy reluctance, feeling mentally drained the moment he entered Kakashi's office.

A women in a cat mask and ANBU armor was seated on the desk facing Kakashi, her legs crossed. She had been in the middle of saying something, but his entrance cut her off. Both glanced up, and the cat spoke. "Uchiha."

Anko.

He could tell by her frankness towards him and familiarity with Kakashi. The voice was Anko's, as were the mannerisms, and the senbon in her hair. The skirt was practically uniform. She liked to keep attractive people in her company. It made their duties all the more sadistic.

Anko dropped from the desk and turned to face him, remaining beside Kakashi where the two were united in whatever they wanted from him. Kakashi remained seated, and though both their expressions were concealed, Sasuke sensed a subtle satisfaction. Anko placed her hands on her hips and Sasuke clenched his fists. He suspected he knew what was coming.

"I thought you were on reconnaissance," he said coolly.

She was on a perpetual hunt for their former master, or rather, the last remnants of him. Kabuto was out there, crazed, and infected with Orochimaru's essence.

"As far as you're concerned, I am," Anko responded.

Sasuke nodded in understanding. She didn't want anyone else in the village to know about her presence. She didn't even remove her mask, cautious like he never was. "Then what are you doing here?" he said.

"I'm just checking up on things."

_Che._

"I see you left the Interrogation Force."

"Aa."

"I don't recall relieving you from your post."

"You didn't."

Her confidence was irritating. "I need you back," she said, matter-of-factly. "To be Ino's second, as I was Ibiki's. Look out for her. Assume her duties in her stead."

_So Ino's becoming captain_, Sasuke mused. The position suited her. He held his temple, fatigued with the recurring matter. "I'm not interested in the Interrogation Force anymore."

"Don't be a child."

As with everyone, she tried to get under his skin.

"I'm not asking you to return. Every captain needs a _second. _And you're soft for my tastes. I doubt you'll ever be needed."

He could feel her glaring at him from behind her mask. Kakashi remained aloof. He simply observed, more curious than keen.

Sasuke silently seethed. He and Anko were bonded in a way. It was to what he attributed his reluctant respect for her.

"All of you are taking on new roles," Anko continued. "Ino as captain. Your wife as Hyuuga head. Even Kakashi will be retiring soon."

Blinking, Sasuke glanced back at the Kage. "I didn't realize just how soon," he said.

Kakashi rested his chin on his knuckles.

"He doesn't belong behind a desk," said Anko.

Ironically enough, neither did Naruto.

* * *

He had been gone for longer than he had anticipated. Sasuke entered the Hyuuga compound and looked around for Hinata, inevitably to scold her for scolding people, he was sure. Walking through the house, he approached their quarters, when he saw Sakura pacing in the hall. She spotted him and her expression lit up.

Sasuke was confused. "What...?" But his mind was already working a mile a minute.

"It's Hinata. She-"

He started walking passed Sakura, but she grabbed his arm, stopping him. Sasuke froze as he was embraced. He absently held her back.

"Congratulations," she said.

Right...congratulations...

They released each other, and he continued walking. He entered his bedroom to see his wife sitting up in their bed, a bundle in her arms.

Sasuke sat beside her, his entire focus on the baby sleeping in her hold. He unconsciously activated the sharingan, tracing her frail chakra.

Her.

"A girl," said Hinata, looking up. She offered him a weak smile. "You're late."

"Un." He was still a little stunned. His tomoe lazily revolved.

"You're a father."

"I am."

He didn't know who kissed who, but their lips were suddenly connected, and nothing could separate them for the world.

Except for the baby. It was the first time he heard her cry.

* * *

He was still staring at the baby who had taken to staring back. She had her mother's eyes. Her face was flushed and tear-soaked. He paced with her, the crying finally beginning to subside. "Shhhh," he urged. He never thought he would hear himself make such a noise.

There was a small giggle. Sasuke glanced at Hinata who was still on the bed. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, a blush on her face.

_What? _he mouthed.

She shook her head. She didn't know herself.

Sasuke returned his attention to the child, when he heard Hinata giggle again. This was immediately followed by sobs. He saw it best to ignore her. She was still very hormonal. _Never again,_ he thought, but found he was unconvinced by the notion. He was quickly becoming attached to their child.

The baby finally fell asleep. He went over to Hinata and carefully lowered her into her arms. His wife abruptly stopped crying. Sasuke then returned to his side of the bed and lay down on his back, arms folded behind his head. It was dark out. They had been up with her for hours, pacifying her, but mostly getting acquainted.

"Get some rest," he mumbled.

He felt Hinata slowly lay back, the baby against her. She deeply inhaled. "I miss this."

He lifted his eyes only to notice hers were closed. "What?"

"Being with you."

The ANBU ground squadron kept him away from the village almost constantly, sometimes doing espionage in foreign villages, but usually hunting down missing nin with alternating teams, each member masked and faceless. He did enjoy tracking down rogue nin, but it lacked the comradely he had come to appreciate from his time with Team 7, and his partnership with Hinata. Additionally, he didn't like being away from Hinata...his family? It was still so new to him.

Hinata was half-asleep now. She digressed, "Maybe next time the baby will have your eyes."

Sasuke stared at the ceiling, musing on this. He didn't want a child with the sharingan. They made easy targets.

Hinata finally fell asleep, and he allowed himself to as well.

Over the next few days, they fell into an unpleasant routine. They would go to bed, and just upon losing consciousness, the baby would start to cry.

"Your turn," Hinata mumbled faintly.

He wondered if she noticed that it was always his turn. Arduously climbing out of the bed (following several seconds of reluctance), he stalked to the crib and removed the baby from the room. He held her against his shoulder and took her to the living room, which was removed enough from the bedrooms that it didn't bother anyone. He began to mechanically pace. He didn't mind it. She liked when he paced.

He would have to return to missions soon.

The crying prevailed.

There was a knock on the door, which wasn't unique even though it was the middle of night. Sasuke peered at it. He suspected he knew who it was. Freeing up one of his arms, he reached out and opened it. "Dobe."

Naruto entered. Before speaking, he paused, seeming fascinated by the sight of the crying, slobbering Sasuke-Hinata spawn-thing.

And she was fascinated by him. The crying briefly stopped, but she caught herself, and continued.

Naruto wiped his expression clean, and coughed. "Wow, you look terrible."

Sasuke was wearing pajamas, or shorts, or something, he wasn't sure. He suspected his hair looked more stupid than usual, and that there were dark dashes beneath his eyes. "Thanks," he said.

Hinata looked like a princess.

"Can you stop that?" said Naruto, in reference to his stride.

"It's the only thing that calms her down," said Sasuke. And it was finally beginning to work.

"So you're dizzying her into submission?"

"Aa."

"How's Hinata?"

"Fine."

They fell into silence. The baby trailed off into an obnoxious whimpering. Sasuke raised her and stared at her, offended by the excessive cuteness.

Sasuke glanced up at Naruto, who was blankly watching. "I'm guessing this isn't a social visit."

The blonde blinked, then nodded. "How'd you figure?" he said, and sighed. "We've lost contact with Ino and Hanabi for the past two days. They should have reported by now."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "That's it? They probably got sidetracked."

Naruto knew what that meant. With tempers like theirs, their greatest peril was their risk of killing each other. He gave a lopsided grin. "Still, I thought I should let you know. Neji's team is on his way home, so I'm having them do a quick search."

Naruto's smile softened. He was again watching the baby. "Now that you're a father, you'll be wanting to stay closer to the village, ne?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Maybe I'll become a jounin." The concept was ludicrous, even when he said it aloud. _Him_ – babysitting incompetent genin. He could barely handle Hanabi and she wasn't half bad.

"Right," Naruto chuckled, not taking him seriously. "I become _Kage_ and _you _become _jounin..._" he trailed off, sarcasm becoming envy. Lightly shaking himself, Naruto cleared his throat. "Any chance of you returning to the Interrogation Force?"

Why was everyone so invested in that idea? He could sense Naruto's anxiety. He knew his promotion was looming and didn't want to do it alone. The idiot had spent his childhood campaigning for the post, and now he was completely phobic of it.

Sasuke refrained from disclosing the conversation he'd had with Anko. "Ino's up for captain. I have no business there."

"Too cocky to collaborate?"

"We both are," said Sasuke. "Besides, hold her."

Naruto blinked. "Ino?"

"The baby."

The blonde blanched. "What?"

"Take the baby."

He backed away. "Hinata wouldn't mind?"

"Don't be an idiot."

He handed her over, easing the infant into Naruto's arms. She gurgled up at the blonde, stuffing as much of her fist as she could into her mouth. Sasuke watched as Naruto swallowed. He was beginning to find entertainment in his child's antics.

Sasuke had always thought they would be in opposite positions from where they stood now – that he would spend his life in anger and solitude. He was still stunned by how things had turned out.

Naruto slowly grinned at the baby. He suddenly understood why Sasuke wanted to keep his hands clean. "She is so fucking adorable," he murmured. The blonde belatedly caught himself and clamped his jaw shut, before looking up at Sasuke who seemed unfazed.

"Thanks."

* * *

Neji was used to finding things.

As a Hyuuga, he was often shuffled off into search parties.

In his childhood, it started with birds, cats, and other clawed animals.

At thirteen, he found Uchiha Sasuke in a barrel surrounded by several strange fellows.

At sixteen, he found his uncle's disembodied head lying in the forest.

He didn't mind it. It was just another attribute of holding the byakugan.

He leapt from branch to branch, eyes scanning his part of the perimeter. He caught a trunk then swung around it.

Ino.

She was sitting hunched at the base of a tree. She was injured. Neji quickly leapt to a lower branch, then dropped to the earth before her. He knelt down to her level.

_Oh._

She wasn't injured.

She was dead.

Neji removed his mask. There was no chakra, no breathing, and no heartbeat. She had a large, blackened gash on her abdomen. Her head was bowed, her long bangs hanging in her face. Her eyes were open, and sightless. Her lips were bloody and red. The veins on Neji's temples sunk. His chest became impossibly tight.

He must have been mistaken. He took her shoulder, but she collapsed against his chest. The gentle impact made him almost jump. Her body was cold. Around him, Neji's teammates dropped from the trees, joining him on the earth.

But they were distant. Ino was all that was real.

Neji gathered her up and stood, finally turning and confronting his teammates. Their masks painted them with apathy. One doffed his, betraying his shock. "Neji."

The Hyuuga walked passed them, his wife curled in his arms, her body cool and listless. Her head was tucked under his chin, her favorite spot for it. It didn't make sense. He had just seen her a few days ago.

"Ino," he said.

And the silence responded, perpetual and encompassing.


	29. Interlude 8

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 8**

"I can't wait until Hanabi meets her," Hinata whispered to him, during twelve seconds of privacy they found in the corner of the room. "If this doesn't warm her up, I don't know what will."

He didn't either.

His lips twitched at the thought of his obstinate sister-in-law.

The Hyuuga elders had called upon a gathering, as the birth of an heir required more celebration than the new parents could muster up themselves. Countless guests wandered about the Hyuuga house that afternoon, all drinking and searching for the newborn to oogle and critique.

Sasuke and Hinata looked up to notice several guests tottering their way. Hinata held the baby more closely against her.

"The mother's eyes. Very good," said someone as he approached and surveyed the infant.

"Thank you," said Hinata, for the lack of having anything better to say.

"She's beautiful Hinata!" said someone else.

"T-thank you so much."

"Congratulations you two."

"Hn – I mean – thanks."

Their faces fell blank as someone suddenly took the baby away from them.

Kakashi.

The fact that he was the Hokage somehow bypassed them, in favor of their awareness of his general weirdness. As Hinata was pulled into a nonconsensual hug by some elder or the other, Sasuke remained without distraction, staring as the baby grew fretful in Kakashi's arms.

Finally, his wife was released, looking flustered and stricken.

"Lovely," Kakashi concluded, after observing the baby for what felt like a minute. "Good job." He handed her back over to her mother.

Hinata held her close. "Um, thank you."

Kakashi might have been smirking behind his mask. To him they were twelve-year-olds, fumbling to execute their first jutsu again. Parenthood was a scarce show of vulnerability, and Kakashi couldn't have been more pleased.

Just before the man could sling his arm around Sasuke's throat in an undignified embrace usually reserved for Naruto, Sasuke ducked off. He didn't know if he was leading Hinata, or following her, but soon found himself away from party, away from the chaos, the scrutiny, and everything else. Outside on the veranda, he took a deep breath of fresh air, before pausing to notice Hinata doing the same. They eyed each other.

"Yo."

Sasuke glanced back at the house to notice Hanabi exiting after them. She was still in her chunnin uniform. He hadn't noticed she had returned.

"You're back," Hinata beamed.

"Un," the blind Hyuuga responded.

"Come Hana, say hello to your niece," said Hinata.

Hanabi hesitated, then nodded. She began to tentatively approach where she felt their presence, but Hinata joined her halfway there. It was different from the way it had been in the house. It was quiet, airy, and with no sense of entrapment.

Hanabi felt her sister press a bundle to her arms. She held it gently, but Hinata continued to support it, like she didn't trust her nine fingers, and shaky hands. It was warm. Animate. Shifting groggily, the baby emanated an unusual chakra, unlike those Hanabi tended to sense around her. The baby's ki was firm, white, like that of any Hyuuga, but it was tangibly tainted. Despite having white eyes, the infant wasn't without her father's influence.

"Hello niece," said Hanabi flatly.

She knew Hinata took secret pleasure in her awkwardness. She allowed her to take the bundle back. "Congratulations."

A few feet away from them, Sasuke leaned against the railing. He observed the blood stains on Hanabi's clothes she couldn't see there herself. "How did your mission with Ino go?"

"I don't know," Hanabi said. "We got separated."

* * *

Maybe this was a test. It was so convoluted, even Kakashi couldn't have devised it. Naruto ran his fingers through his hair. He regretted agreeing to stand in for the man that afternoon.

_It'll be good practice,_ the crooked Kage had claimed.

"Any word on Hyuuga Hanabi?" Naruto asked of the several ANBU standing around him in the office.

The operative to his right shook her head, _no_.

"You two – I want you to scour the forest until you find her. Start where you found the body."

An echo of "hai" and the two were off.

Naruto rubbed his head. "I want the rest of you to find the person responsible for this. Go," he said.

There were three more affirmations, and Naruto was left alone with his final charge who wasn't with the others. She was without a uniform or mask, and he diverted his gaze from her wet eyes.

"Sakura." Naruto stood from behind the desk. "I want you to come with me." He stalked out of the room, leaving her to trail after him.

Whether her presence was necessary for support or duty was left unclear. It was always unclear, and it frustrated her sometimes. He took advantage of their affiliation, using her and Sasuke as companions, when he should have known they were his subjects, his protectors, his soldiers. Didn't he see how everyone looked at him now?

Naruto reached one of the rooms along the hall, stopping before it. Sakura followed suit. The blonde raised his hand to the knob, and hesitated.

Sakura grasped his arm, betraying her sentiments.

Naruto opened the door and walked inside. Sakura followed, and closed the door behind them.

She lingered by the entrance, and watched as Naruto approached Neji's turned back.

The windows were open, full of the air they all needed. Sakura drifted towards one of them, afraid she might be sick. Tears began to roll freely down her cheeks.

They were in a medical room, walls lined with various articles of medical equipment. None of it would do any good. In the center of the room, where Neji stood, was a hospital bed, upon which Ino lay, paling, stiffening, bruises blossoming on her body as her blood cooled and circulation ceased. From her mission? From her assault? Sakura wouldn't know until the autopsy. She prayed Naruto wouldn't make her do it. He said she was the best.

But Ino...she...

...was one of her oldest friends – one of her _closest_ friends. Sakura was used to her lively. She wasn't used to her dead.

A stab wound? It didn't make sense. Medics didn't die so easily.

From where she was by the window, she could see that Neji's face was blank, as though he too hadn't come to fully grasp the situation. But he was breathing heavily, with a dangerous, and building, apprehension. He was still in his ANBU uniform, covered in cuts and scratches from his latest mission. His long hair hung about his shoulders, and his mask, from his belt.

His byakugan was activated, as if scrutinizing his wife's absence of chakra.

There were several rogues on playing field that evening. Which of them would they have to keep their eyes on?

"Neji," Naruto spoke, his voice full of a pain that made her cry harder. She smothered her sobs with her gloved hands. It was selfish to be so overwhelmed. Ino was Neji's loss before she was hers.

Sakura blinked when the door suddenly banged open. She and Naruto looked up, but Neji barely seemed to notice.

One of the ANBU operatives had returned. Naruto silently urged him away from Neji, not far from where Sakura stood by the window, and she listened on.

"What is it?" Naruto whispered with a severity that was unnatural for him.

"Hyuuga Hanabi has been located."

Naruto paled. "Is she-"

"She's fine. She's at the Hyuuga house, and isn't aware of what happened. Apparently she and Yamanaka were separated at some point during the mission."

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "Separated?" Another thing that... "...doesn't make sense..."

He failed to notice the look of comprehension that dawned on Sakura's face, or see her lift her foot to the windowsill. He only noticed the absence of jasmine in the air, and spun to the window seconds belated. Naruto ran it, but stopped himself from leaping through. "Shit, go after her," he hissed, pointing outside into the growing darkness. He glanced at Neji, who's chakra was teeming by then. He couldn't be left alone at such a time.

The operative nodded, and disappeared through the window. Naruto clenched his fists and stared after him, knowing his cause was already lost. The operative wasn't going to be able to keep up.

* * *

Long tendrils of hair tickled his throat. They hadn't been intimate for a long time. He wondered if this served as substitution. His hand held her lower back as she leaned against him, kissing him, continually, sufficiently, more than he deserved, as his enthusiasm waned alongside his energy. She tried to share her chakra the way she had once before, unintentionally, in the throes of lovely sin. They had given pause to their antics, as they breathed and stared at one another. If she learned to regulate it she could use it to her advantage.

His eyes were crimson beyond their sinking lids.

But there was a fallacy in his purpose. He had neglected to realize that Hinata had not shared her chakra that one night, but he had stolen hers. That the strange exchange was an attribute of his abilities, and not hers.

In their latest efforts to recreate the circumstance – intervals of concentration and distraction, focus and arousal, wakefulness and weakness – Sasuke had somehow managed to do the reverse, not that he knew it yet. He gave his chakra to her instead of taking it. Hinata drank and drank as his eyes darkened to black.

There was a sudden crashing sound from the living room, followed by the baby crying in the next room, roused from her sleep by the noise. Their contact breaking, Hinata looked up. Sasuke's hand fell away from her. She looked back down at her husband, to notice he was unmoving. She could already tell something had gone wrong, or _differently_ in their efforts. She could feel his chakra coursing through her, leaving her body keen and restless. "Sasuke," she whispered.

He shifted slightly, and trembled, but his eyelids refused to lift. He challenged his fatigue. It was like he couldn't awake from a dream.

There was the sound of something breaking downstairs, like ceramic or glass. The sound of the baby crying increased in volume.

Hinata climbed out of bed, grabbing a light robe and wrapping it around herself. She hurried through the corridor, down the stairs, to the living room, and upon a scene that startled her.

The front door had been thrown open, viciously enough to tear chunks of woods from its frame. Their unexpected guest was none other than Haruno Sakura, looking more livid than Hinata had ever seen her. Across from her was Hanabi, who looked so feeble in comparison. Her sister was tense, but stood her ground.

Before Hinata could inquire on Sakura's disposition, the pink-haired kunochi launched herself at Hanabi.

Hanabi held up one of her arms defensively, and it smashed like bark under the impact of Sakura's fist. She cried out in pain, dropping the disfigured limb. Another cuff caught Hanabi's torso, and there was the cracking noise of her ribs breaking. Hinata's breath caught in her throat. She stared on in shock, almost expecting to awake.

But the reality of it relented, and hit her hard, demanding that she act.

Sakura flipped backwards, distancing herself from her opponent, if just to survey the damage. She wore a disgusting smile, dripping mirth. It wasn't like her. What was wrong with her!?

The younger Hyuuga was fighting down breaths of air. Her good hand fumbled for her weapons holster.

Again, Sakura started for Hanabi.

"What are you doing!" Hinata protested. "Stop it!"

Sakura threw her weight behind a flying kick that would easily break the younger girl.

Hinata ran forward, desperate to intervene. She wasn't close enough, or fast enough. Wouldn't be strong enough. She wouldn't be able to protect Hanabi just as she hadn't before. "Don't-!"

Hinata stopped in her tracks when Sakura's assault connected, but not with her sister. Her wet cheeks were momentarily forgotten.

In front of Hanabi appeared Sasuke, his dark hair hanging in his eyes. Sakura's strike hit his raised forearm, and it didn't break under the impact like Hanabi's had. Hinata stared at his lengthened canines – subtle fangs she wasn't familiar with. She felt a dark aura surrounding him, heard his ragged breathing, and watched his muscles tremble as he resisted captivation.

In an instant she couldn't have caught without doujutsu, Sasuke spun and struck Sakura from the air. His raised leg the only evidence of the attack, the medic was thrown violently into the opposite wall, fracturing the stone, and leaving long cracks upon it that extended as high as the ceiling.

Grunting in pain, she collapsed to the ground in a heap. Hinata was stunned that she somehow remained conscious. Limbs shaking, Sakura struggled to all fours. She choked and coughed up specks of blood. Such an attack would have killed another.

Hinata's eyes shifted back to her husband. His fangs had shrank, and dark chakra, diminished. Any indication of his slip had disappeared. He took a step back, clutching the side of his neck. There were lines under his eyes. He must have been struggling just to stand.

Hinata closed their distance and held onto his free arm, the two subtly guarding the wheezing Hanabi.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke seethed to his comrade. Hinata had never seen him regard Sakura with such disgust. They watched as the medic struggled to recover.

Sakura finally looked up. The madness had faded from her eyes, in its place, all her vulnerabilities. "She killed Ino," she stated shakily, then began to cough again.

Killed? Hinata blinked. She must have...misheard. That couldn't be right. Ino was a high-ranking ANBU operative. She was strong. Hanabi was just...

_...volatile...dangerous..._

Hinata pulled herself from the safety of Sasuke's arm. She turned to her sister, who was still busily wheezing, all but interested in the matter at hand, just interested in getting air into her lungs.

She didn't even bother to deny it.

* * *

When Sasuke awoke again, the room was bright with sunlight, and his shirt was wet with Hinata's tears. His hand idly slid up her back, then down it. Back and forth.

"Where's the baby?" Sasuke inquired.

"Sleeping," said Hinata, her voice muffled in his chest.

"Un..." He mused on how his priorities had shifted. The two fell into a hollow silence. His waking didn't sooth her, just aggravated her distress. He continued to place idle strokes along her spine, and it trembled as she began to sob.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke muttered, staring at the ceiling. He didn't know how to feel about any of it. Memories of his own malicious past began to surface – the civilians he'd slaughtered, the shinobi he had killed on Orochimaru's behalf. And then on his own. He didn't know when, but his apathy had become enjoyment. It was unfair not to empathize with Hanabi.

The only difference between them was that she had killed someone known and loved, a woman of privilege and power. Did that make the girl any worse than he had been?

He didn't know. He mulled it over in his mind. What was the main difference between Hanabi and himself?

Naruto, he realized.

Naruto, Sakura, Hinata...his daughter. His capacity for relationships. But that wasn't just it. His capacity for...

He tried to pinpoint it.

Sasuke sighed when Hinata pulled away from him, taking with her much of the warmth their bodies shared. She curled on her side to face the opposite wall, refusing to reveal her wet face and raw cheeks. She didn't speak of her sister, or Ino, or any of the prior day's events. She just made a single remark that struck a chord.

"You'll be returning to missions soon."

* * *

He bumped into Naruto just outside of the Hokage's office. They met eyes, but neither knew what to say.

"Is Anko around?" said Sasuke, with a borderline awkwardness. Both of them knew she was a higher authority than Kakashi, even if the Kage didn't know it himself.

"She's gone," said Naruto, his voice uncharacteristically cool.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. The absence of Anko's influence could prove to make his task more difficult. He started for the office door, but Naruto caught his arm.

"Don't tell me you've had a sudden change of heart?"

There was a sinister edge to his voice, betraying his bias for Sakura's welfare like he always did. Sakura over him. It was a curious shift in the dynamics between the three.

"Isn't it what you wanted? For me to stay in the village? I'll be here for you-" –_Hinata. Her sister. His child. _"-and Sakura."

A feral anger crossed Naruto's face, but it disappeared just as quickly. What was he mad about? Sakura was resilient. She always got back up. It was funny how Naruto never complained any of the six times Sakura had broken his nose.

"Is she okay?" Sasuke deadpanned, finally addressing the matter at hand.

Naruto froze, then reddened, as though the Uchiha had asked him something extremely personal. "What? Teme! H-how should I know?" Eyes shooting downwards, Naruto began to compulsively shuffle the papers he was holding.

Sasuke's cheek twitched. He decided to refrain from commenting, and instead took the opportunity to walk into the office.

He was reminded of why he liked Naruto. Even on the darkest of days...

Behind the desk, Kakashi was solemn. He didn't bother looking up from his own paperwork. "Yo."

It was a greeting he'd heard a thousand times before, one he and his former teammates occasionally used themselves. He had even heard Hanabi use it the other day. Had she picked it up from him or the scarecrow? She was a teenager, ridden with teenage tendencies and impressionability, just as he had been not long ago. He had never been imprisoned for his crimes. He'd had the strange benefit of being Naruto's best friend.

"I want the vacancy in the Interrogation Force," said Sasuke. He knew Kakashi wanted him for the job, or at least he had a few days ago. He was the only one left qualified for the position.

"You obviously have an ulterior motive," Kakashi mentioned. He continued whatever he was writing. Sasuke said nothing.

Finally, the Kage looked up at him with his one, humorless eye.

"Good luck."

Sasuke stared at him for a moment, before turning and leaving the room. He was stunned by how easily he'd stolen Ino's reign. He had taken the position she he been groomed for over years. The woman hadn't been dead a week.

Naruto was waiting for him in the corridor just as he expected. Sasuke ignored as the blonde eyed him. He leaned on the wall for just a moment, closed his eyes, and inhaled. He hadn't realized how Ino's death had affected him until that moment.

"What did he say?" Naruto wanted to know.

"What do you think?"

There was a pause. "Che. Kakashi's easy."

Sasuke said nothing.

"Wait until I'm Hokage. You'll be mopping the floors." Naruto chuckled darkly to himself.

Sasuke sighed. "What's the difference between her and me?"

Naruto knew who he was talking about. Sasuke lifted his eyes to see his response.

Naruto pressed his mouth. Scratched his whiskered cheek. "You have remorse."

Sasuke was caught off. He felt a little offended. "No I don't," he disagreed. He had stopped using the cursed seal, but that wasn't in remorse. It was in pain and disgust. The seal had become emotional mutilation. Through it, he felt his humanity fading, and desperately clung to whatever was left.

He blinked, and wondered if that was Naruto's point.

"Yes you do," said the blonde, shaking his head as though the matter had already been settled without his participation. But he regarded Sasuke, sympathizing with his rationale. "Give us a reason to trust Hanabi again."

Now that he had access to her, maybe he could.


	30. Interlude 9

**Author's Note:** This is the last Interlude for the time being.

I'm not going to explain things that shouldn't necessitate explaining. As stated before, the Interludes are what originally happened/in the original timeline. If any of you are skipping chapters, that is not my problem. If you're simply forgetting details because of how disjointed my updates are, my apologies. If you think it might help, you can wait until the story is complete to read it as a whole. I have long established things like how Ino died, Hanabi's sacrifice, etc.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

Sakura woke up in pain. She immediately recognized her surroundings; she was in the hospital.

Naruto was asleep in the chair beside her bed. It was just getting light outside, the sun along the horizon. It must have been early morning. Sakura slid her hand to the source of her pain: the deep gash below her heart, just short from grazing her aorta. She tugged at the bandages there, her hands taking on a green glow. _Medics don't die so easily_, she thought stubbornly. She grunted in pain as the wound slowly began to close.

Her eyes shifted back to the sleeping Kage beside her. What had happened?

**Interlude 9**

"You shouldn't have attacked Hanabi. You could have killed her. If Sasuke hadn't been there-"

"She'd be dead," said Sakura flatly.

Sakura was becoming unreliable. She wasn't the way she was supposed to be. He grabbed her shoulders. "I need you, Sakura. _You._"

She stared at him. Her gaze shifted to the floor. "I know," she said.

Naruto released her. He too looked away, and they stood in silent acknowledgement of her mental disorder.

Naruto sought a distraction. "There should be sake around here somewhere." He walked around to the back of the desk and began to rummage in the drawers.

Sakura glanced back at him. "Kakashi? Really?" She took a seat on the desk and crossed her legs.

Naruto shrugged. "It's a stressful position." His fingers closed around a white bottle and he lifted it to show Sakura. He came around the desk again. The two were in Kakashi's office after the tower had closed and the sun had set. A few candles cast light on the otherwise dark room. "It was never a permanent post to him," Naruto continued. "What do you say? Are we in this together?" He offered one of his tempting smiles. She looked upon it thoughtfully.

Naruto and Sakura's relationship had always been an obscure one. When they were younger, it had always been the two of them, and Sasuke. But in Sasuke's absence, people were beginning to make...assumptions.

Sasuke's welfare had been a long term preoccupation. Now that it was secure, there was something else that kept them united.

Sakura turned away from him. She employed the usual diversion. "Ne, what about Sasuke?"

"Sasuke has a lot on his plate," said Naruto.

"Ah. Hanabi."

"Hinata. His baby."

She laughed. It was still surreal. "Who would have thought he'd get married before the rest of us."

"Girls are going after the broody types these days. Sasuke's got it figured out," said Naruto, indulging in the lighthearted chatter. His hand brushed hers as he sat beside her.

"Misguided girls. Don't they know they could do better?"

There was a noticeable pause as the two of them hesitated. Sakura turned back to him, and spoke slightly faster. "I mean, let's be honest. Sasuke's not normal."

_Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke... _Naruto fiddled with the cork of the bottle.

"He's an ass."

Naruto could attest to that. "He stepped on my toad."

"I don't know what he does with his hair. It looks so stupid."

"Once I think I saw him watching me undress-"

The door swung open, and the two stopped short. A stream of light poured in from the hallway, before disappearing as the door was closed again.

Sasuke and Hinata approached the startled duo. Sasuke nodded to them.

"You made it," said Naruto. "It isn't much. No big deal."

Sakura smiled. It was the eve of his promotion.

Naruto tore the cork out with his teeth. "Cheers," he said, taking a swig from the bottle. He offered it to Sasuke.

There was a falter. "We're parents now, we don't-"

"Still a lightweight," Naruto sighed.

He gasped as he was suddenly pushed backward off the desk, Sasuke holding the bottle previously in his possession. The Uchiha took a reluctant swig, observing how flushed Sakura seemed, though she hadn't drank yet. Sometimes he felt like he was missing something when the three of them were together. He lowered the sake, feeling an unpleasant warmth begin to encompass him. He offered it to Hinata.

The Hyuuga lifted the bottle to her lips and took several generous gulps. Sasuke eyed her. "Sakura didn't-"

Hinata ignored him, and continued to drink. In the meantime Naruto climbed up the desk, him and Sakura falling into giggles. Hinata finally lowered the bottle and handed it to Sakura. Looking flustered, she began to laugh too. Sasuke was still far too sober to find anything amusing.

He let the alcohol circulate and the tension sink amongst them.

Sometimes he wondered if the three of them would spend their lives fighting just like the old sannin had.

Then there were nights like these.

* * *

He'd had nothing to do with the matter until her incarceration. Yet in a way, she was another consequence of his failings.

If he had never become a missing nin, Tsunade never would have marked him with seals upon his return to Konoha. If he hadn't been sealed to the village, he could have left the gates that night. He could have intervened during the Cloud attack on the Hyuuga house, and protected Hanabi from being kidnapped and blinded in the hours that followed.

But who was to say he wouldn't have failed? Or that he would have intervened at all? That he wouldn't have simply protected Hinata instead, as he so had wanted to? What things wouldn't have been accomplished if he could have just left the village walls?

He had made mistakes in the past. Great mistakes that reverberated like chasms through time.

It was several nights following Naruto's promotion that Sasuke continued to lean over his daughter's crib, watching her as she sucked her toe. She stared back, with her wet eyes, as though suspecting he would intervene.

Sasuke rested his face on his knuckles. "I'll keep my eye on you," he assured her.

The door creaked and he glanced over his shoulder to see Hinata, who joined him in the room. "What will she think of me when she's older?" he asked.

Hinata was soon beside him, also scrutinizing their child. "That you're insane."

His lip twitched. "That's reassuring." He turned to her as she smiled. She leaned on her toes, and kissed him, once. "See you," she mumbled, pulling back, fingers retracting from his armor.

He didn't mind it. Not having to say goodbye to her every time he walked out the door. He wished the benefits of being with Hinata every day could some how make up the things he would have to do next.

* * *

For hours, Hanabi had crawled around those dusty passages trying to find her way home.

The prison was cool, and damp, like the passages.

Faded screams echoed off the walls at any given time. She lay back, legs crossed, listening to them with indifference day in and out.

Her broken arm throbbed painfully. It had been crudely casted with a thin, weak plaster by some of the medical attendants in the squad. They had done the bare minimum in treating her injury. No one had bothered to call any actual doctors or medical nin. Her chest ached when she breathed in and out, her lungs shifting beneath her fractured ribs.

There was suddenly a jingling of keys. She counted – one, two, three locks being undone, before the heavy door was pushed open, scraping against the stone floor. Someone entered the room, and the door was replaced in its frame. Again, the three locks were locked, and the key returned to the owner's person.

She could always sense Sasuke. His chakra was unique because of his cursed seal. Goodness and cruelty in an illogical blend. She felt him approach her, and wondered if it was in that very room that he tortured others in his efforts to gain information. If his charges had cried and screamed, just like the walls.

"What are you doing here?" Hanabi asked, sitting up slowly, so not to aggravate her ribs.

"Interrogation," said Sasuke gruffly.

She was surprised. Had he returned to the force on her behalf?

"The Hokage suspects you've defected."

Hanabi said nothing.

"But I disagree," Sasuke continued. She felt him kneel to her level. "What happened to you in the forest the night your father died? What happened after they took you, blinded you-"

"Exactly that." Hanabi cut him off.

"Hinata said you changed."

Hanabi furrowed her eyebrows. Of course she had changed. She went blind. She had been stripped of her identity, her inheritance, and her bloodline limit. She had been stripped of Hyuuga.

But that wasn't what Sasuke was inquiring about. There was something else.

She would never reveal the deal she had made with the dead. She wouldn't betray her greatest vulnerability.

"Why the murders?"

Why?

The fighting, the killing, the madness, hell and euphoria. He wouldn't understand. Konoha was where she lost her soul.

"Let me see your arm," said Sasuke, not unkindly, and as he took it, she realized why it hadn't been set properly. Why it was still swollen and throbbing, pain radiating up her shoulder and into her chest. It hurt more in his hold.

"You've always been a sister, or even a – daughter to me," Sasuke said. "That's why I have to do this."

The chamber was humid, and stunk of death. There was a persistent dripping sound. Water...blood?

"I don't want to lose you."

Didn't he know she was already gone?

"Talk to me."

And she never said a word.

* * *

Kakashi's last act as Hokage was to send Sakura far away for six weeks on reconnaissance in a foreign country Naruto had never heard of before. She had been decidedly displeased.

As was Naruto. She was already gone by the time he had the authority to stop it.

More so than taunting him, Kakashi was testing him. Couldn't he do it alone?

_Yes, _it was decided. Uzumaki Naruto was a suitable Hokage...and an ill-tempered one at that.

Naruto knocked briskly on the door of Sakura's apartment. It was the day after she was due to have returned, and she had failed to check in at his – still such a _weird_ concept – _his_ office.

He was dressed in his orange jacket and slacks, and ignored as Sakura's neighbors stared at him when they walked by. They tucked away their drinks and straightened their backs. There were some hushed utterances of "Hokage-sama." Naruto impatiently nodded, throwing them angry grins.

His knocks increasing in urgency as seconds turned to minutes, he knelt down with some paper clips and tried to pick the lock.

The door swung open, and with no help from his incompetent tinkering. He looked up at his pink-haired companion, dressed in her nightdress and slippers. She stared at him in shock.

Naruto cleared his throat and awkwardly straightened. Paperclips were hastily shoved into his jacket pocket. "Sakura I was-"

He gasped as she embraced him.

"-worried...about you."

Her arms were wrapped around his torso, her face in his jacket. "Don't take this personally," she said. "I've been isolated for the past month and a half."

He watched her shiver, and wrapped her in his broader frame. "Hey, you're okay," he said comfortingly.

They stayed like that for a while. Another of Sakura's neighbors ogled them as she walked by. He could understand why there were so many rumors about the two of them.

Sakura finally lifted her face and pulled back. She released an awkward chuckle, and bit her lip. "You know, it should have been me."

Naruto's lips parted. He thought she was talking about Sasuke, and was momentarily fallen.

"It should have been me instead of Ino with Hanabi that day."

Naruto blinked. "Don't say that."

"I'm stronger than her. And she had more to live for. A family, a husband, a big promotion – she was even prettier than me."

Naruto snorted. "No one is prettier than you," he said dismissively.

The two fell silent. Naruto realized what he had said. He watched Sakura blush. He wondered if she would seek out their usual diversion, and guided her gently. "But not as pretty as Sasuke."

She burst into giggles. "He's really pretty," she agreed.

So overwhelmed was Sakura, she failed to dodge Naruto as he closed in to kiss her. She momentarily tried to pull away, but surrendered as he caught her wrists and kissed her gently, again, again, again.

Neither opened their eyes as their lips broke. She breathed in and out, her cheeks warm, and heart pounding. "You need to stop eating ramen."

Naruto lifted his eyes. "Ne Sakura, aren't you going to invite me in?"

She laughed, "In your dreams." She pushed Naruto lightly away from her, and he crashed into the opposite wall, creating a sizeable dent, and causing the building to shake. Several paintings fell off the walls along the corridor. Sakura reddened.

Naruto separated himself from the wall, slightly crooked. "All you had to say was no."

Sakura pressed her lips. "Get over here."

He closed their distance, kissing her again. The two stumbled into her apartment, touching, kissing in their first efforts of intimacy, unaware that they would be interrupted by a mission hawk from Sasuke in the moments to come.

* * *

Sasuke didn't talk to Hinata about his sessions with Hanabi, and she didn't push for information.

Though Hanabi was a heavy emotional burden, Hinata didn't let it control her. She had to be present for her daughter. It didn't mean she wasn't sad sometimes. She just didn't wear her sadness as she had in the past.

But as Hanabi's sentence in the Interrogation Squad came to a close, Hinata finally had to inquire. "Is she making any progress?"

She lay beside him in bed. She kissed his shoulder, as though to quell the impact of the detriments this brought up.

"No," said Sasuke.

He wasn't yielding any progress with Hanabi, and he didn't expect he would.

That evening he attended his final meeting with his sister-in-law. She sat on the ground in the back corner of the room, and released a harsh laugh as she heard him enter. Her broken arm was twisted and graying, swollen with infection. It now caused her constant pain. He could tell by the changes in her breathing patterns. She would need a strong healer to fix it. Though what would be the point?

"This will be your last opportunity to explain your actions," said Sasuke.

A tired grin crossed her pale lips. Never an inkling of remorse. He'd spoken to her about her old teammates. Her training under Kakashi. Her friendship with Kiba. The loss of her father. Her relationship with Hinata.

He never spoke about his child. Not when he was at work.

"How is the baby?" Hanabi asked.

Sasuke simply watched her. Didn't she care about her fate?

She portrayed a mastery of the art of evasion. The more they spoke, the more she deflected.

"Speak to me about Ino," he said.

Sometimes he weakened, and remembered the days he cut the crusts off her sandwiches.

"She was a stupid whore."

Then she said things like that.

"I asked about the baby. What was her name again? Keiko? Kesshi?"

Sasuke watched her for a moment, then turned away. There was nothing more for him to do. He walked to the door, and turned the first of three locks.

"You know I can sense things, yes? She may have the byakugan, but she's more like you than Hinata. She'll surely be a monster."

Sasuke glanced back at her, raising his brow. "Like you?"

"Like you."

She wore a soft smile. Almost keen.

Sasuke returned his attention to the door. He turned the final two locks before pulling it open. He left without a word, locking the door behind him. He walked through the hall, mulling over what she had said. She was just trying to get to him. There was nothing wrong with his child.

In the lobby, Sasuke stopped one of his underlings. "Send for Haruno Sakura. I want her to heal the prisoner in room twenty-seven."

The operative blinked. "The Hyuuga? Isn't she being executed in the morning?"

"Just do what I said," said Sasuke impatiently. The man nodded, and Sasuke walked passed him. He ascended the staircase to the ground floor of the tower. Sometimes Naruto worked till late, and lingered in the entryway, waiting for him.

This wasn't such an occasion.

Sasuke walked home alone in the cool Konoha night. The village was beautiful, even then.

Why did he feel sick?

He went silently into the Hyuuga compound, then the house, ignoring anyone who noticed him. He walked into a bathroom and began to wash his hands, forgetting that they weren't covered in blood this time. He paused, and stared at them, before raising his eyes to the mirror. There were lines beneath them. His long bangs hung in his face. He pulled them back with his fingers. What was he going to say to Hinata? There was a knock on the door. He glanced at it.

When he opened it he met his wife. It didn't make sense that she smiled at him so carefully. They embraced. He breathed her in, appreciating that her love hadn't been replaced with resentment.

"I'm going to go see Kasai," he muttered into her hair.

Hinata pulled away. She nodded, still weakly smiling. It flickered, but was quickly replaced.

They walked to their quarters together. Hinata entered their bedroom to change as Sasuke walked into the one beside it. He approached the crib and lifted his daughter. She sleepily peered back at him with her white eyes. Sasuke didn't realize his sharingan was activated until he heard Hinata speak.

"You need some rest." She had changed into her nightgown, and stood by the door. "Come to bed.

He inhaled, then nodded. He returned the baby to her crib.

That night, he drifted off without difficulty. He lay on his back and slept soundlessly, unaware that Hinata was wide awake.

She lay beside him and stared at the ceiling, her smile faded by then. She got up quietly, so not to rouse her husband. She left their quarters and went to the kitchens, her hands shaking slightly as she poured a glass of water. When she returned to her room, Sasuke was still asleep. She rested her water on the night table, pulled back the sheets, and hesitated.

Sasuke's uniform was strewn on a chair, but on the bureau was where he had left his keys. Hinata grabbed them, not bothering to change. She took one of her jackets from the closet, and her sandals. The baby began to cry just as she left.

It took her several minutes to reach the Hokage tower. Sasuke had a key into a building, and another, to the basements, where the Interrogation Force was located. Hinata slipped inside without difficulty.

The building was closed, and there was minimal security. Hinata navigated around the guards with ease. She could hear and feel each of their movements. She wasn't different from Hanabi in that regard.

She walked along the cells and closed her eyes, allowing her senses to lead her to her sister. There. Hanabi's harsh breaths. Her obstinate sniffs, and careful movements. Hinata lifted her eyes to the twenty-seventh cell. She again examined Sasuke's ring of keys.

The third key was a master to all the cells. It was carried only by the captain of the unit. Hinata unlocked the three locks of the door and went inside.

"Hana," she said.

Her sister jerked at the sound of her voice.

Hanabi sat in a heap on the dirty stone floor. The bandages around her eye sockets were aged and brown. Her lips were dry, cracked, and bleeding. She looked pale and dirty. Her limbs had become bony, her torso thin. Her right arm was disgusting – swollen and gray. Was this her husbands doing? Hinata stared at her, breathing heavily. "Go."

It was a terrible moment in Konoha's history.

"What?" said Hanabi.

Hinata inhaled.

She had spent her life fighting for her. Protecting her. She had granted her immunity from the Hyuuga cursed seal.

And she would grant her impunity thereafter.

She was her _sister_.

"Go." Hinata repeated.

She watched Hanabi rise with difficulty. She stumbled, but grasped the wall with her good hand. Each of her breaths were ragged; pained.

For a moment the sisters stood in silence, reflecting on what was about to transpire.

And then Hanabi darted off, slipped out the door, and Hinata didn't see her again for five years time.

Hinata trailed through the door after her, feeling emotionally exhausted. She was so preoccupied with what she had done, she nearly stepped on a figure sprawled on the ground in the corridor. She stared in shock at the guard. He had been stabbed in the abdomen with his own ninjato.

Hinata continued along the hall, and spotted the body of another guard, his throat slit. She ran into the lobby, and found three more, their eyes wide, their blood leaving inky patterns along the grooves in the stone.

One of the figures was a person she recognized. Hinata's legs threatened to fail her, but she approached Sakura's form, sprawled on her side, her long hair hiding her face. Blood seeped from a chest wound where she had been stabbed.

Only then did Hinata realize her mistake. She ran upstairs, thrust open the doors, and ran out into the night. "Hanabi-!" she called, and she was suddenly surrounded. She stopped in her tracks, and stared up at the masked figures that had materialized around her. She took a step back as the ANBU operatives closed in on her.

One doffed his mask. He looked sadly upon her.

"Hinata," Shino said.

Her arms were seized by two others, and drawn behind her. She was marched back into the tower, where she would face questioning of her own.


	31. Bad Naruto

"Talking."

_Thinking._

**Telepathy.**

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 31**

Mirai Hinata banged on Mirai Naruto's door with her free arm, the baby clutched against her in the other. She was shaking, her new emotional capacity hampering her rather than helping her. She couldn't compose a coherent thought.

Sakura...dead? When? How? What did he mean Sakura was dead!?

"N-Naruto-kun, please open the door," she said, and received no response from the other side. **Naruto. Please. **She remained unaware of the tears running down her cheeks. And it wasn't on Sakura's behalf.

"Hinata."

She looked up to see Sasuke in just his slacks. His eyes shifted from the baby in her arms, to her tear-streaked face. He was breathing heavily. He could feel her distress.

Hinata lowered her hand from Naruto's door. She parted her lips and didn't know what to say.

* * *

He felt the morning before he opened his eyes. The rays of the sun, hitting him so unpleasantly. He lifted his eyelids and looked at his wife across from him, sleeping silently, her soft draws, in and out.

Mirai Sasuke had a few comforts.

She was among them. His eyes shifted to the baby sprawled on the mattress between them. Oftentimes he found himself turning to her childish guidance, her fresh eyes, and innocent mind. But Kasai simply squirmed and gurgled, and tried to take hold of his too long bangs.

_I'm getting too old for this, _the Uchiha mused, twenty-five but estimating he'd accumulated the experiences of a man in his sixties.

He turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling, reflecting on Sakura. The things they'd been through together, she might as well have been his sister. He should have paid better attention. He had noticed the appearance of the diamond on her forehead in result of her past self inheriting Tsunade's genesis of rebirth technique, but had never realized the extent of its impact on her. He had been absorbed in preserving his family as hers crumbled in the meantime.

"You're hurting." Hinata was awake.

Sasuke didn't look at her. Any interruptions in his apathy were usually a private matter, but not with the new link between them. It was still unsettling. He sat up and left the bed, exiting the room into the hallway. He went to Naruto's door, and turned the knob. Locked.

With a swift spin, he kicked the door open, breaking the lock. He proceeded into the room and glanced around. The bed was unmade, the window open, and the curtains billowing with the intruding breeze.

Sasuke rubbed his head. Naruto was gone.

* * *

A bit of electricity flickered across the young Sasuke's fingers. Kakashi's one visible eye narrowed. "I thought I told you to take the night to cool down." He stood between the teenage Naruto and Sasuke. Every so often, they tried to attack each other. They reminded him of cats in heat.

"I wasn't _doing_ her," said Sasuke, wincing as Kakashi grabbed a chunk of his hair to keep him from going after Naruto. "And it wasn't me. It was the – _other_ – me. And it wasn't sex. It was just a hand-" he trailed off as he noticed Sakura ogling him.

"I know what I saw," Naruto screeched, infuriating him more. "You and Hinata-!"

"We were standing right beside you!" Sasuke's eyes were red, tomoe spinning. Kakashi had never seen Naruto rile him up to such a degree.

"Pervert!"

The jounin had to wrestle Sasuke to the ground to keep him from using chidori. Privately, Kakashi remained skeptical of Naruto's claims. He wasn't necessarily doubtful of Sasuke's capacity for the antics Naruto described (_as the Uchiha could have been a depraved lecher for all he knew_), but of the innocent Hyuuga heiress' alleged participation. Then there was Sakura's pallid stare, and the way the corner of Naruto's lips twitched upward every so often. He was antagonizing Sasuke on purpose.

Eventually Kakashi resorted to sitting on Sasuke's back, squashing the boy beneath him. Had Sasuke not been so frazzled, he may have utilized some of his considerable ninja skills to remedy his predicament. Instead he grunted something about not being able to breathe.

Kakashi dug one of his novels out of his shuriken pouch. He idly flipped through the pages. "Naruto, stop hassling Sasuke."

The blonde retracted his accusing finger and released an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head.

"And Sasuke, stop trying to kill Naruto."

There was no response. He might have fallen unconscious.

"Sakura, stop gaping like that. You're making me nervous."

Sakura jumped slightly, seeming startled by the mention of her name. She wiped her face clean of its dazed expression, and took to looking at the grass, biting the corner of her lip. She was crestfallen.

Sighing, Kakashi climbed up from his human chair. He surveyed Naruto, Sakura, and the unconscious Uchiha. "Ready to get started?" He paused when he noticed three other figures approaching in the distance. _This should be interesting._

In Tsunade's death, Kakashi was originally to be asked to take her post as Hokage until he chose a successor. Because of the actions of the time travelers, Tsunade didn't die, and Kakashi was never faced with such an obligation. In fact, he would continue to contently lead team seven in the years to come and guide each of his students to jounin ranking.

In consequence, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura would stay young longer, and maintain the closeness of siblings throughout Kakashi's tutelage and their eras as sannin. The periods of distrust between them were not to be.

Sakura was not to be loaded with responsibility in the premature death of her sensei, Konoha's premier medical ninja. Naruto was not to be anguished because of it. Kakashi would see a drastic change in the course of his own life. He might even officialize that thing he had going on with Anko someday.

A fraction of normalcy was restored to their lives and their relations. In fact, it made perfect sense that Sasuke and Hinata would have their child later than they had her originally.

Kasai's declining age couldn't be blamed entirely on the shock of Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata getting frisky in the forest. Though it was definitely a contribution.

"Kurenai sent us to train with you," said Kiba, as he, Hinata, and Shino joined team seven. They gathered around and stared at Sasuke's unconscious figure sprawled on the grass.

"Is he okay?"

Everyone paused to stare at Hinata, wondering why she would inquire about whether Sasuke was okay. She herself began to wonder why she would ask such a thing. Maybe it was because she had a decided investment in his future, so it was her place to inquire. Maybe her responsibility, even!

Then her courage shrunk, and she recoiled.

Naruto, the innately compassionate one, nudged Sasuke with his foot and shrugged. "Seems fine."

"Let's get to work," said Kakashi. "Naruto, you're with Sakura today. Sasuke, with Hinata. And Kiba with Shino."

As Hinata remained frozen before the unconscious Uchiha, the other teenagers grumbled and wandered off to individual areas. Kiba and Shino gave the heiress encouraging looks, Sakura, an eerie one, and Naruto, a cheeky grin. Hinata was at a loss as they left. She leaned down, peering at Sasuke.

"Uchiha-san?"

They had spent time together, getting to know Kasai, then becoming distracted by one another. They had sparred together on a number of occasions. He had asked her to be his girlfriend on the roof of her house, only to be gracelessly rejected.

He had found her the night she was attacked by Cloud nin. He had protected her. Taken her home. He was the _future father of her child._

It might have warranted something less formal than 'Uchiha-san.'

"S-Sasuke-kun?" Hinata inquired. She knelt down and poked him. Once, twice, thr-

Sasuke abruptly sat up. She yelped, and fell on her bottom.

Sasuke was breathing heavily, his eyes darting about wildly. Their gazes met for a moment, then they both glanced away from each other. Sasuke rubbed his face.

Around them, the others were only pretending to spar. They employed awkwardly slow maneuvers, some that flat-out missed their opponents, instead observing Sasuke and Hinata. Kakashi seemed too absorbed in his novel to care.

Sasuke climbed to his feet and offered Hinata his hand. Slowly, she took it, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She looked down in an effort to hide the heat rising to her cheeks. He was being...nice. Maybe everything would be okay in the end.

"You knew," Sasuke mentioned.

He watched Hinata's face catch fire. She looked up. "W-what?" she stammered, confirming her guilt.

"You knew about _them_ – us. If you hadn't known, you would never have shown your face here. You'd be hiding in a ditch, or migrating to the Lightening Country."

Hinata swallowed. She fidgeted madly, and tried to construct words.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke wanted to know, moving closer to her. She took a step back.

Hinata felt sweat form on her temple. Migrating _did _seem like a good idea right then. If she left within the hour, she could make it to Kumo in four days. Hinata tried to back away, but Sasuke caught the front of her jacket. There was a strange victory in his eyes. He pulled her close, until his lips brushed her ear. Told her something only she could hear.

"You're mine."

Someone cleared their throat above them. Sasuke and Hinata looked up to notice the least intimidating of the time travelers peering down at them.

* * *

Mirai Naruto was not impressed.

He watched as the young Sakura distractedly kicked his young counterpart in the crotch. The young Naruto collapsed, and clutched himself, whimpering, but kept one of his eyes glued to the young Sasuke and Hinata, seeming otherwise absorbed in their conversation.

Mirai Naruto sighed and leaned against the tree trunk. He pulled one of his legs to his chest.

Everyone thought Naruto losing his _number-one-most-important-person-in-the-universe _would be an epical event. The grounds would tremble. Kyuubi would reign free. The world would crumble.

On the contrary...

He couldn't summon the anger.

With weary eyes, he continued to watch the young Sakura and his young self pretend to spar. They were so happy, so stupid and carefree.

...it was all his fault. He shouldn't have warned Tsunade about her death. It had prompted her to make preparations, and pass her technique down to Sakura. She had died in her stead. Everything was wrong.

_I'd do anything to get you back._

The young Sakura tripped over his counterpart's prone form and fell face-first in the grass. Mirai Naruto's lips lifted slightly.

_I'll get you back. I promise._

He cleared his throat. He hadn't realized he had done it particularly loudly, but that was a downside of being a Naruto. Six pairs of eyes darted his way.

Mirai Naruto coughed. Scratched his cheek. He offered them a guilty smile. "Hey."

The teenagers said nothing, just stared at him like frightened children.

Mirai Naruto dropped from the tree branch and fifteen feet below to the earth, the teenagers backing away from him where he landed in a crouched position. But then they approached again, tentative, like stray animals.

Mirai Naruto straightened. "So...what do you want to know?"

The young Sakura gazed on him thoughtfully, and Kiba stuck his finger in his mouth. The young Hinata blushed and fidgeted, and the young Sasuke looked angry all the sudden. Shino adjusted his sunglasses, and the young Naruto seemed flustered.

Kakashi hadn't moved from the tree stump upon which he was reading, but Mirai Naruto could tell he was listening in.

Mirai Naruto forced a smile. He nodded to the young Sasuke. "What about you, bastard? You must have something on your mind."

The Uchiha stiffened. "Dobe," he seethed, fists clenching.

Mirai Naruto's smile softened as he absently fantasized about beating up the whole lot of them. That would be a story to tell his grandchildren. "Nothing?" he said, instead turning to his young counterpart. "Ne, dead last? Ask me anything."

The young Naruto looked appalled. He pointed at himself questioningly, sure there was a mistake.

Naruto sighed. "No give? Melon-fucker," he addressed Kiba. "C'mon, you caught me in a good mood. I'm willing to reveal _anything._"

By then, Hinata's blush had faded, and the young Sakura stared in horror at what Mirai Naruto might call her.

"Naruto," someone called.

Mirai Naruto looked up and spotted Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata standing a few yards away. Both looked solemn. The group of teenagers watched Mirai Naruto warily as he walked off to confer with his companions.

"Naruto-kun, what are you doing?" Mirai Hinata whispered as Mirai Naruto approached. Over his shoulder, she glanced at the young members of team seven and eight, who were ambling clumsily towards them like pigeon-toed babies. Several looked traumatized. The young Naruto had tears in his eyes, and was still pointing at himself questioningly.

"We're just having a talk. You know, they've been dying of curiosity about their futures," said Mirai Naruto casually. He didn't meet her eyes, but idly examined the blue crystal about his neck.

Mirai Sasuke frowned. Naruto had reached an angry stage of mourning. "_We_ need to talk. And not to them. They – _saw _us. Kasai's age is regressing-"

"What?" Mirai Naruto looked up.

Sasuke shook his head. "Don't tell them anything else. They know too much as it is."

"Or do they?"

Before Mirai Sasuke could inquire as to what the blonde meant, Mirai Naruto grabbed Mirai Hinata by her shoulders. He pulled her into him, causing their lips to collide, and he proceeded to dominate her mouth_._ Mirai Sasuke's jaw fell slack.

When Mirai Naruto finally pulled away from her, Mirai Hinata was beet red. Flustered, she tried and failed to compose words.

"There. Problem solved," said Mirai Naruto. He grinned at Mirai Sasuke.

Then everything went black.


	32. Contract

**Author's Note: **As always, I welcome any and all criticism. Thank you so much.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 32**

Mirai Sasuke acknowledged that he probably should not have punched Mirai Naruto. Getting a rise out of the Uchiha was practically instinct for the blonde. Not only that, but Sakura had just died. Naruto was in an irrational state. Sasuke shouldn't have taken it personally...even though...

_He had kissed his wife._

Naruto had kissed _Hinata_, and with all their counterparts standing around, gawking. The fact that Sasuke subsequently knocked him unconscious hadn't helped with the stares. Nor did it help when he grabbed Hinata's arm and dragged her off, leaving the blonde at the mercy of the shocked teenagers.

Sasuke looked down at his bruised fist. He was balanced, tactful, never compulsive or emotional, never doing the complete irrational-

And yet his actions said otherwise. He glanced at Hinata, who was looking down, her cheeks tinted pink, and suddenly he wanted to hit Naruto all over again.

The two were seated in Kakashi's favorite diner, ambivalence etched across their faces. Neither looked at the other, and their tea grew cold as it was left ignored.

"Lemon?" said Kakashi pleasantly. He was sitting across from them in the booth making no effort to hide his humor.

Mirai Sasuke reached for his cup, when his wife took his hand.

"Do you know, Kaka-sensei-?" said Mirai Hinata. She met the older man's gaze. "About us?"

She absently stroked Sasuke's hand in her grasp, feather-light, as though to quell his aggravation. It was working. Sasuke watched her, his lips parted. He didn't notice if Kakashi saw his vulnerabilities.

The scarecrow inclined his head. "I know you're together. And I know Kasai is your child. That much I could figure out."

Mirai Hinata nodded. "We've been together since we were seventeen. I know our counterparts are going to miss out on a lot of our past experiences because of changes we've made here. And I know many of those experiences may be replaced with new ones, but one thing must remain unchanged."

Kakashi understood. "Your daughter."

"C-can you keep an eye on them-" Hinata halted and pressed her lips, frustrated by her renewed emotional anxieties. "And, ano, Naruto and Sakura-san?" Sasuke looked up. "I know our young selves are only fifteen, but at this point in their lives, they shouldn't be straying too far from each other anymore. They'll be married and have a child in five years, but they still have plenty of time to fight, and break up, and make up, and try to kill each other. I just don't want Sasuke proposing to Tenten or anything like that." She finished, flustered, but held Kakashi's gaze.

He carried an air of contentment that didn't extend to his guests. "I'm glad for them," he said.

Hinata glanced at the bruised hand in her grasp. "So am I."

* * *

The members of team twelve were on their way to their designated training area when they spotted a gaggle of teenagers crowded around something orange. Neji, Tenten, and Lee curiously approached.

"Naruto-kun!" cried Lee upon spotting the future man's lifeless body sprawled on the grass. He lunged forward to perform mouth to mouth resuscitation.

"What's going on here? Tsunade-sama said for us to trust the future visitors." Neji was not at all surprised that Naruto's future self had been overpowered by a couple of chunnin and a dog.

"It wasn't us, it was Sasuke!" cried the young Naruto as he wrestled Lee to the ground and away from his counterpart's lips.

Sasuke twitched. He was tired of paying for the acts of his unhinged counterpart. "Mirai Naruto kissed Mirai Hinata, and then..." he trailed off.

"Mirai Sasuke punched him!" said Kiba excitedly, more interested in the violence than the melodrama.

"Wait – so future-Naruto kissed future-Hinata?" said Tenten. She beamed. "Are they a couple?"

The young Hinata and Naruto flushed. Neither could confidently answer that question. Hinata looked at Sasuke, who continued to blankly stare at the unconscious time traveler. She didn't know how, why, or...when it had happened, but for the first time in her life, she didn't want to be with Naruto.

Sakura was dazed by all the back and forth. Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata...Mirai Naruto and Mirai Hinata...? _What about her, dammit!_

"Maybe she's getting it on with both of them," suggested Kiba. He shrugged apologetically as Hinata looked at him in shock.

"But Mirai Sasuke punched Mirai Naruto afterwards," muttered Shino. He then paused and wondered why he was becoming involved.

Tenten was losing her patience. "So which one of them is the father of her child!?"

"Wait a minute, Kasai is _Mirai Sasuke's_ child..."

"Maybe _he's _getting it on with both of them..."

Mirai Naruto groggily awoke and stared up at the bickering teenagers. The young Naruto had Lee in a strangle hold and was negotiating with Neji for his release, Hinata was flushed pink and ogling Tenten, Sakura was yelling something at Kiba while flailing her arms frighteningly, and Tenten was trying to talk up Sasuke, who was eying him past her shoulder. Shuddering, Mirai Naruto attempted to crawl away, hoping to be left unnoticed.

He grunted in pain when someone kicked him roughly enough to throw him onto his back. Before he could gather his composure, he felt the blade of a kunai caress his throat. Mirai Naruto swallowed and looked up at his beloved Sakura-chan, with her pretty pink hair, and crazed, teenaged eyes.

"You're not going anywhere."

* * *

Mirai Hinata stood against a large oak tree, drenched in its shade. She was out of view of anyone who might have glanced her way. Beside her was Mirai Sasuke, who stood in the light. Arms crossed, he watched something several yards away from them, his sharingan activated, his pupils following movements. Still, he could see his wife from the corner of his eye.

Her eyes were downcast, and he couldn't see them beyond her lashes. She wore a loose pullover, shorts, and sandals. Her hair was getting longer. It hung to her waist. She was pretty at a fundamental, indisputable level. He wondered if he'd ever told her.

"Did you like it?" said Sasuke dryly. She had been quiet towards him ever since Naruto had kissed her. He expected her to redden, but she didn't.

"I like when you kiss me," she mumbled.

Mirai Sasuke blinked. He pocketed his hands and refocused on the figures ahead. She smiled at his subtle indications of embarrassment.

"Maybe we should speak to them," he said, referring to their counterparts.

"And confuse them more?" Hinata responded. "Everything will be okay in the end."

He could tell she was becoming fatigued with their continuous efforts to balance the past. So was he. He was tired of struggling to stabilize Kasai's age, of playing god with their counterparts...of Sakura's absence.

"Is this all you wanted to show me?" said Hinata.

His students were sparring several yards away. In fighting, Hanabi employed a level of grace her father had likely instilled in her since before she could talk. Her fighting reminded him of Neji's. Her hair hung wildly in face as her latest cuff connected with her opponent's throat. Arms out on either side of her and palms held up in the utmost respect of her technique, she was the epitome of the Hyuuga prestige. She breathed heavily as her opponent crashed to the ground.

Sasuke wondered if she wasn't being particularly harsh towards Udon.

"Aa," he said, nodding towards the scene. He wanted Hinata to see what he saw. _Children._ "You said she changed after she was blinded, but here, that never occurred. She's the same as she always was."

Couldn't she tell?

There was a touch of frustration in her words. She hadn't intended to reveal them, but her thoughts betrayed her. **What do you know about how Hanabi **_**was**_**?**

Udon struggled to get up, but was kicked roughly in the ribs. He grunted in pain, and Hanabi proceeded to stomp on his stomach. Sasuke watched on. She had always been aggressive, but it wasn't helping his argument. He tried to explain, "She – likes him, ne?"

Hinata pushed herself off the tree and turned to leave. He caught her arm.

"She's important to me. A time ago, she was important to you."

"Why does it matter?"

"I need you to know that she's no longer a threat."

He was always trying to protect Hanabi. "You don't have to do this. She's not your family."

She pulled away from him, taking her leave. He sighed as he watched her.

He had to speak to Naruto.

* * *

These were the nin who would build the future in the wake of all the changes he'd made. Mirai Naruto stared blankly at the still-quarreling teenagers as he squirmed for freedom.

He felt a certain sense of déjà vu, being wound up there, as Sasuke and Sakura warily watched him, and his young self barked and rattled a pointy stick. The sun was setting. Team twelve had moved on. His tormenters, however, were still at work.

Mirai Naruto was a little petulant about being tied to a tree. They had no idea what he was capable of when he was in an ill enough mood.

The young Naruto was screeching something at Kiba: "Shut the hell up, you _melon-fucking_ bastard! When I'm Hokage, you're going to be cleaning toilets."

Mirai Naruto watched blankly. _Liberating the Hyuuga branch house, avenging Sandaime, taming Kyuubi, finding Sasuke... _No, making Kiba clean toilets had never been among his priorities. He mused about what a jackass this blonde kid was. Kiba was one of his top jounin. Still, the thought of him cleaning bathrooms made him snicker to himself.

"When the hell have you seen _me_ fucking a melon!?" snarled Kiba.

"Shut up Naruto!" said Sakura, knocking him down with a cuff to the head.

Mirai Naruto continued to watch. His dream of being Hokage was so far away by then. He had touched it, tasted it, held the power in his shaky hands for five whole years. Now the only thing he dreamed about was _her._

He winced as he was suddenly poked in the ribs with a spear. "What's so funny?" said Kiba.

Mirai Naruto sniffed. He was beginning to realize the rookie teams were just as obnoxious as everyone used to say they were.

"We want answers," said the young Sakura. The young Naruto climbed up from the ground, rubbing a sizable bump on his head.

A feral grin crossed Mirai Naruto's face. "So do I."

The members of team seven and eight blinked. The same thought crossed each of their faces: What did _they_ have to offer _him_?

"What's going on between you and _you_?" Mirai Naruto nudged his and Sakura's young counterparts with his foot. "Touchy, kissy, yes?"

Sakura paled and Naruto reddened.

"What? No! I don't know what you're talking about!" Sakura snapped, looking scandalized.

"And you two. You have something going on, ne?" Mirai Naruto nodded to Sasuke and Hinata. She fidgeted, and he scowled.

"Stop trying to mess with our heads," growled the Uchiha.

Mirai Naruto surveyed them thoughtfully. He paused at Sakura's forehead. "What's that?" he said.

The young Sakura blinked. She touched the purple diamond above her brows. "Don't you know?"

_Of course he fucking _knew_..._

"Tsunade passed down her technique to me," said Sakura proudly.

_Indeed..._

"I can probably beat you up," she bragged lightly.

He smiled. "I'd be intimidated. But where did Inner Sakura go?"

She seemed caught off. "What-?" She wore a look of puzzlement and wondered how he knew about her aggressive conscience.

"So what about you?" said the young Sasuke, hands pocketed as he quietly smoldered. "Why were you-" he struggled. Sasuke wasn't one for gossip. "-kissing the Hyuuga?"

Hinata also watched the time traveler as she unnoticeably hyperventilated. It was impressive that she still hadn't fainted.

Mirai Naruto grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Sasuke clenched his jaw.

He, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Sakura, the dog, and the young Naruto formed a small huddle and began to whisper amongst themselves. Something about beating the shit out of him. Akamaru barked enthusiastically.

"Let's get answers," said Sakura sinisterly.

"Agreed," said the young Naruto.

"Let's rip off his dick and shove it down his throat," said Kiba.

"No – not that," said young Naruto, chuckling nervously.

The teenage members of team seven and eight each pulled out their favorite weapons and turned back to the tree against which Mirai Naruto had been tied, before pausing.

He was gone.

* * *

He sat on the edge of the bed, eying her. His wife was getting dressed, and mostly ignoring him. She stood in the mirror, and slipped her nightdress over her head. It was white silk, with a V-neck and spaghetti straps, its hem ending a few inches above her knees. He enjoyed how it outlined her impeccable physique. Mirai Hinata paused to notice him watching her through the mirror. "You're aroused," she said blankly.

Mirai Sasuke glanced down. "Un." He was painfully aware of it.

She stared at him. "You like when I'm mean to you?"

Sasuke said nothing. He couldn't speak for his libido, but...things had changed. _She _had. And _he _had. So reluctantly, he admitted it. "My dick doesn't mind it."

He watched her blush and divert her gaze, while worsening his predicament. Then he stared as she slipped her panties off.

Hinata approached him on the bed and climbed into his lap. She unbuttoned his pants and he caught her hips, guiding her gently. She released a slight grunt, her eyes closing, and blush deepening.

"Thank you," he muttered.

And so they began.

* * *

When Mirai Sasuke came to, he was sprawled on the ground for some reason. He tried to catch his breath, failing to notice his sharingan was activated, tomoe spinning.

There was the sound of the baby crying in the next room.

Hinata's disheveled head poked out from the heap of blankets beside him. She climbed to her feet and hurried into the bathroom, returning shortly while pulling on a bathrobe. She then left the room, raking her fingers through her hair. Sasuke blearily rubbed his eyes. He climbed up the bed and found his boxers. He realized they'd only had proper sex once or twice since coming to the past. They definitely needed to have a lot more of it.

When his wife returned again, she had the baby in tow. She began to pace the room and coddle her, urging her to quiet down. Sasuke reclined in the bed and enjoyed the warmth that usually encompassed him after orgasm. His drowsy eyelids began to lower.

"It's not terrible," Hinata murmured. "Her being a baby again."

He missed the authentic version of Kasai, the one he'd raised for five years, watching learn to walk and talk.

Hinata sat on the edge of the bed. She smiled as the baby grasped for her nose. She didn't care about how old Kasai was. Having her was enough.

But how long would that last? Sasuke's eyes shifted to the clock on the nightstand. Midnight was approaching. He was tired of losing loved ones. Arduously, he sat up. He couldn't just leave it to chance.

He joined Hinata on the edge of the bed, and absently slipped the robe off her shoulder. He kissed the soft skin there, and watched her redden. All this blushing. He didn't mind it so much anymore.

"Sasu..." she warned, Kasai growing fretful with her waning attention.

He sighed. "How much does your title mean to you?"

Hinata blinked. "What?" she said. She distractedly bounced the baby as she began to whimper.

"I'm asking whether you'd ever consider sacrificing your position as Hyuuga head."

Hinata was silent for a moment. "For Hana?" she said quietly.

"For me."

She looked up, meeting his onyx eyes.

* * *

The young Sasuke walked through the dark towards the Hokage tower. It was an hour short of midnight.

He was confused by the arrival of the mission hawk at his window, bearing a note from Tsunade that required his immediate presence. He wasn't allowed on missions, he wasn't even allowed to leave the village. On top of that, it was the middle of the night. He didn't know what Tsunade wanted, but it couldn't have been good news.

When he entered her office minutes later, the dozen or so candles along the walls did little for the darkness. He glanced around, surprised by the presence of not only the Hokage, but Hinata, both of their counterparts, and three or so aged men and women. Judging by their white robes and eyes, they were Hyuuga elders. The young Hinata stood amongst them, one of them grasping her shoulder. She looked as confused as he was.

The office seemed unkempt. There was new damage to the stone walls, and remnants of rubble in the corners. The desk was gone, and all those present were standing. The young Sasuke continued to cautiously look around. He paused at his future self, who was watching him back, his arms crossed. The young Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. Why did he feel like this was an ambush?

Only then did he notice his future self's proximity to Mirai Hinata. They were commonly together, but never evidently...touching, as their shoulders were at that moment. Mirai Hinata seemed to read his stare, and grabbed Mirai Sasuke's arm.

"We're together," he said blatantly, holding his eyes with her pale ones. "I guess you two already suspected. Yes, we're married – it's okay," she turned to her gaping young counterpart, and broke away from Mirai Sasuke. She approached the young Hinata and pulled her away from the elders. Took her hands. "We discussed this with Tsunade-sama – and your clan elders. It's important that you know." She leaned down and embraced her timid young self, confronting her in a way she never had before. This was a version of her who wouldn't be haunted by nightmares for ten years. She wouldn't spend the better part of that time hating herself.

Mirai Hinata pulled away, and surveyed her flustered counterpart. "It's okay. Just breathe."

The young Hinata weakly nodded.

Mirai Hinata turned again to the young Sasuke, who was taking it better.

"I know this information may be intimidating, but it's a good thing. This is how it was always meant to be. We just need you two to – collaborate. We can't allow our future to continue to be changed."

The young Sasuke watched her. He had finally secured the information he had wanted for such a long time.

But what did _they_ want?

That's when Mirai Sasuke spoke, easily reading his apprehension. He held up a scroll the young Sasuke hadn't noticed he had been holding until that moment.

Alas, the _catch_.

"We want you to consent to a contract."


	33. Resolution

**Author's Note: **

I was going to wait a few more days to post this, but Lecs changed my mind. xD And I hope you're feeling better, Hana. Sorry for the wait, la. Chapter 34 is in progress. Check my profile for a scene.

I had an interesting discussion with another reader. Here is a small piece of it:

"_...If it helps, it's kind of a parallel to Naruto sacrificing his place as Hokage, where it is evidenced he is unhappy. In the interludes I have Sasuke muse that 'Naruto didn't belong behind a desk.' I guess to each their own interpretation, but..."_

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 33**

The young Sasuke walked out of Tsunade's office, feeling strangely overwhelmed, not that he'd ever let it on. So much information had been given to him at once. And so much had been asked of him. He noticed someone exiting the office after him, and looked at the young Hinata, who was wearing a similarly stunned expression. Neither could say a word to the other. In fact, they attempted to depart and avoid the matter altogether, when someone stopped them just as they started.

"Sasuke? Hinata-chan?"

Mirai Hinata had followed them out of the office. She quietly closed the door behind her, as if to ensure a greater level of privacy. She beckoned them over, and they joined her by the wall.

She stared at them in an extremely uncomfortable way. She seemed momentarily at a loss for words.

Mirai Hinata glanced down at the small slip of paper squeezed in her hand. She had to be confident, she decided. She couldn't show them any weakness in her convictions that _this was all for the best. _So she handed over the slip of paper, maintaining a solemn look on her face.

The young Sasuke and Hinata squinted down at it through the darkness, making out some numerical figures with the assistance of their doujutsu.

"Ano...what is this?" said the young Hinata.

"The date Kasai was conceived," said Mirai Hinata.

She watched both teenagers turn red.

"It's a couple of years off, but it's very important. Please keep it in mind, both of you."

They stared at her in horror, before returning to the note. Both teenagers retracted their hands as though it had caught fire, or maybe in a play to force the other to take custody of it. The slip dropped to the floor, and for some moments, there was a silent feud between them. The young Hinata stared down at it, refusing to move. Finally, Sasuke collected the note from the ground. Unceremoniously stuffing it into his pocket, he stalked off. The young Hinata hesitated, and shuffled away in the opposite direction.

Mirai Hinata sighed.

And so they were engaged.

* * *

She reflected on their young counterparts as she curled up in her bed that night. They were so different from her and her husband... They were vulnerable. Innocent. Even immature compared to how they had originally been at fifteen. It wasn't a _bad_ thing, this resurrection of youth and innocence. It was just...incorrect. It reminded her of how considerably they had changed the world with their presence. How could they ever expect their plan to work?

Sasuke was staying up, preoccupied with it all, but she went to bed. She didn't even notice her bad dreams were gone as she slept without him. Her nightmares were replaced with new dreams. Good dreams. Visions of her time, of life as it _should have been_. She was with her friends, her family, her daughter, even...Hanabi was present at times. Everyone was alive and well.

_Except for Naruto-kun who was sick, distraught...alone._

...and where was Sasuke?

Mirai Hinata gasped awake, sitting up in bed. She shielded her eyes against the brightness of the sun and tried to catch her breath.

Her husband was sitting beside her. He was sympathetic. **Bad dream?**

She shook her head. _No._

She paused when she spotted a bundle in his lap.

"Kasai," she gasped, embracing her. The child awoke and cried out, irritable about being roused. "No – Kaasan – you're squishing me," the five-year-old complained, her voice muffled in her clothes. Hinata looked up at Sasuke, who faintly smiled.

She held Kasai tightly. _Thank goodness._ They were finally on the right track.

She would sacrifice her position as Hyuuga clan head in marrying Sasuke before her eighteenth birthday when she would have legally inherited it. It was the only way Sasuke could think to secure their relationship. He had asked her if she wouldn't live to regret it.

She smiled against Kasai's head of dark hair. For the year following her rape, people scarcely saw her. Some suggested she was caged. She had been loaded with responsibility in her father's death and Hanabi's blinding. In a way, she wasn't dissimilar to Neji, and his sentiments on being a Hyuuga clan member. She had been the only main house member left to inherit it. It had been her rationale to Sasuke in the years preceding their marriage. Her purpose was to protect it. But in consequence, she mourned the loss of fighting alongside Kiba and Shino, or even her darker days, when she took missions with Sasuke and Naruto. She had always been a Hyuuga above all else. Above being herself. Above being Sasuke's.

"I always wanted to take genin," she whispered, a sentiment she had revealed to him only once before.

"You have."

She regretted that Kasai had fallen asleep in her arms. She couldn't have thought of a better opportunity to kiss him.

* * *

With the recent revelations, there was a new air of candidness at the Hyuuga house. When the elders had originally seen Mirai Hinata, and her lack of a cursed mark, they had always assumed she was the clan head in the future. Now they knew that, and a lot more. There was less caution in approaching the time travelers, and more intrigue. The young Neji stared at Mirai Hinata during one of the rare occasions they crossed paths. She didn't have to be discreet about her relationship to Sasuke and Kasai anymore. No one seemed to notice or register the way the child's age had fluctuated. They were more interested in Mirai Hinata, and how she ended up with the deranged sharingan-user.

Someone addressed her politely that day, "Uchiha-san."

She blinked, and started, "I'm _not_-"

"I like it."

She paused as Sasuke walked by, a sheepish smile crossing her face. She clutched Kasai's hand as she squirmed to follow him. "Good luck," said Mirai Hinata.

With a backhanded wave, Mirai Sasuke disappeared into a meeting room.

As he entered, he nodded to the young Hinata, who was sitting on her heels on a mat with her head bowed, and the young Sasuke, who lurked in a corner, seeming uncomfortable in the Hyuuga-centric environment. Both teenagers looked up and stared at him as though he'd come to take their souls.

Two elders had been waiting for him, and ushered him to the circle of mats including Hinata's. The three of them took seats, and the young Sasuke reluctantly crept over. He kicked off his sandals and took the spot left for him beside Hinata, bowing to the tatami mat. The elders seemed surprised by his good etiquette.

Mirai Sasuke pulled the contract from his vest and spread it open on the wooden floor between them.

Logic would suggest the elders express gratitude for his counsel, but not to the extent of being without curiosity.

The young Hinata stared at the contract. Her face was blank. Suggesting she was hesitant would have been an understatement.

Sasuke looked at the elders, and pushed for their encouragement. "Our only child has the sharingan. And we're not having anymore."

Whether or not this was true was irrelevant because he achieved his desired affect. He watched the elders pale.

Mirai Sasuke's claim presented an uncomfortable scenario. Kasai would become heir as default, and Hyuuga would end up under Uchiha leadership for who knew how long.

"Hinata," said one of the elders, firmly.

The young Hyuuga showed no sign that she'd heard him. She continued to stare at the scroll, her face pallid.

"It's just a technicality," said Mirai Sasuke, to no affect. He clenched his jaw. She wasn't going to go through with it.

He blinked when his young counterpart suddenly raised his thumb to his mouth. He bit his finger and pressed it to the contract, leaving his blood print, and completing his part. Hinata looked at him in surprise. The young Sasuke gave her a humorless expression, as though challenging her.

Mirai Sasuke watched heat rise to Hinata's cheeks. So it was true. She liked him.

Hinata bit her thumb and finished the contract. Mirai Sasuke watched it disappear in a poof of smoke, and he sighed. Hinata's gaze was averted.

"You'll make a good jounin," Mirai Sasuke said.

The young Hinata looked up, her face a mixture of fatigue and uncertainty. "Thanks."

* * *

It started with the jounin exam. They took it together. Neji passed. Ino failed.

In the days that followed, she became irrationally acrimonious towards him. She followed him home after missions, antagonizing him. She said his hair was too long, and made him look like a woman. She said he acted like an android and looked like a ghoul – his ghastly voice, his flowing white robes. She went out of her way to harass him, following him to the Hyuuga compound across town from where she lived. She stood by the gates and balked insults in his wake.

Then one day he invited her in.

Mirai Naruto was fascinated by the story. He had always wondered how Neji and Ino had gotten together. Neji just stood and stared as Ino continued. He hadn't known she had been antagonizing him. People said those things to him all the time.

Ino sighed at the story. "So what would you like?" she asked as she adjusted a bouquet. She was looking after her family's flower shop that afternoon, and Mirai Naruto had stopped by. As had Neji, apparently.

Naruto smiled. It was bizarre to be reunited with a friend he'd lost what felt to be centuries ago. There were so many things he would have liked to have said to her at that moment. Like, that he was _sorry_. He'd try to save her this time. She was lovely, and had no business dying so young. That everything...would be okay. _He promised._

"Naruto-kun?" she said, drawing him from his reverie. Despite looking harmless to the point of detriment, she had the wary eyes her future employment would necessitate.

"I actually came for advice," Mirai Naruto admitted. "I want to know how you..." he trailed off and thought for a moment. "When you perform a Yamanaka technique on someone, how does one go about...overcoming it?"

Ino tilted her head to the side.

"Ano, like Sak- like Sakura-san could," Mirai Naruto elaborated.

Ino furrowed her eyebrows. "You mean like during our first chunnin exams?"

Naruto nodded. "Something like that."

She brushed back some of her long hair as she recalled the occasion. "Sakura's mind was...divided. Like she had two of them." She had spent many a day musing about it.

_Yes, yes,_ Mirai Naruto nodded impatiently. "How can I replicate that effect?"

"Why do you need to?" Ino grinned. "Don't tell me I beat you up in the future?

Naruto's smile became strained. "Not exactly," he said, shifting his gaze to the counter.

Ino frowned. "It's serious? I can help you Naruto." – always addressing him so casually, as though he was a kid again, and she knew him as well as she had back then. She should have hated him. He had known Hanabi was dangerous.

Naruto raised his face and reinforced his smile. "This is something I have to do alone," he said, aware of the suspicious way Neji was watching him. "Is there a way or not?"

The younger blonde released a defeated sigh. "Don't ever let anyone know-"

"I won't."

"Pain," she said quietly. "Physical. Emotional. It doesn't matter. The target has to be in an intensive pain for the duration of the technique. That's the secret to beating _shinrashin no jutsu_."

Mirai Naruto could handle that. "Thank you," he said, before turning away. He walked out of the shop, hearing someone follow him. He glanced back at Neji.

The Hyuuga didn't have the level of experience the elder version of him had had, but Mirai Naruto figured he'd probe him for advice. "I – lost my focus," he said, looking back at him wearily. "Have you ever encountered the wrong person?"

Neji immediately knew what he was talking about. "How do you know about that technique?"

"You showed me."

Neji was caught off guard. "How-?" he stopped. "Only a Hyuuga-"

"'_You can take a manual approach to anything.'_" The blonde quoted Neji's future-self.

Neji simply stared at him. He was still young, and had no way to rationalize the actions he would make in the future. Naruto sighed, and Neji saw his exasperation.

"Just _don't_ lose your focus," the Hyuuga said, with a warning gaze. Naruto could imagine his thoughts.

_...you shouldn't be using that technique..._

Neji walked back into the flower shop, and Naruto took his leave.

He folded his arms behind his head, enjoying the beauty of the day. He smiled enthusiastically at Ayame as he strolled passed Ichiraku. She blushed in return.

He had never understood Neji's loss of Ino. He couldn't relate then. He had reassured his friend, but those had been shallow words. He couldn't have implanted meaning in them though he had tried his hardest. _Now _he understood...

He liked them this way. Carefree. Together. He chuckled to himself. They actually weren't a bad couple. He couldn't deny they always played nice.

* * *

The young Sakura's fist connected with the young Naruto's jaw with enough force to send him smashing through a tree. She snorted as he disappeared in a poof of smoke. _Shadow clone. _She turned to find herself surrounded by them.

They launched themselves at her just as she regained her footing. With vicious jabs and hasty kicks, she tore through dozens of impersonators and sought out the original.

Deeper in the forest, the young Sasuke was slacking. Few of his assaults connected with his opponent, who seemed similarly distracted.

No one knew about the contract, except them, their counterparts, and the Hyuuga elders. They were legally married, and had yet to speak a word about it, not to their friends, not to each other.

"Hyah!" yelled Hinata, her foot connecting with his chest. His back hit the trunk of the tree they were in. She began to dart away, but hesitated. She turned back, and they watched each other.

So maybe there was a reason they were always being matched together.

Taking advantage of her pause, Sasuke lunged at her, and Hinata fell backwards as she dodged. She fell from the branch and managed to catch a lower one, climbing upon it, where Sasuke joined her seconds later.

He seized the front of her jacket, jerking her up to her feet. She grabbed his fist in an effort to unwrap it from her clothes. Then he slammed her into the trunk, knocking the wind out of her lungs.

And again, there was pause between them.

Both were suddenly conscious of how their hands were touching in the vaguest of intimacies.

Sasuke released her. "Would you prefer it was someone else? That we didn't end up together in the future?"

Hinata flushed. "I-" she managed.

"What?"

"_I like you."_

And then there was silence.

"...Right."

* * *

Truth be told, he wasn't sad. He was _determined._

Standing on the center of training ground three, Mirai Naruto performed hundreds of hand seals in moments. He didn't have time to contemplate them, he just had to see it through to the end, and not mess up this time – _no falters-_

"What are you doing," someone called from the edge of the clearing.

Mirai Naruto didn't look up. "Just practicing something."

Mirai Sasuke followed the hand seals with the sharingan. He recognized the technique from the last time. "To get us back to our time?"

"To get Sakura back."

Sasuke's breath hitched in his throat. He recovered his composure, but Naruto caught his falter. "Raise the dead? You're insane."

_He had to try..._

"It's not possible," said Sasuke harshly.

Naruto ignored him, but the Uchiha wouldn't let up.

"Find another way, dobe."

_**Fuck off.**_

"They'll want more offerings. You don't have _anything else_."

Naruto winced at the remark. He was painfully aware of that. He threw a laugh to disguise his anguish. "I'll give my great hair or good looks."

Sasuke's patience was wearing thin. There was the sound of him drawing his sword, then the sound of it dropping to the ground.

"Or Kyuubi," Naruto continued, growing slightly fanatical. "They can have my balls for all I fucking care."

Naruto grunted as the Uchiha cuffed him in the head, throwing him off his balance. Twice he had attempted the technique, and twice, his focus had been stolen from him by Sasuke.

"_Teme,_" Naruto growled dangerously, holding his jaw.

He hadn't expected Sasuke to follow up with three additional strikes, and a kick that felt like it broke some of his ribs. The Uchiha clearly still had some animosity towards him for kissing his wife. Naruto caught Sasuke's fist as he attempted to punch him again. He was used to dodging heavy blows when he sparred with Sakura, but Sasuke was the fastest of the three. He kicked Naruto in the abdomen, breaking out of his hold. Naruto leaned forward to catch his breath, but within seconds, Sasuke was upon him again. He struck his nose, and there was a sickening crunch.

Naruto stumbled back as blood poured down his face. He took to the trees, but Sasuke followed. He didn't have Sakura's force, but he was more proficient at making his hits connect.

Another rough cuff knocked Naruto out of the sky. He collapsed to the ground on his back and watched as Sasuke materialized before him. The Uchiha grabbed his collar and lifted him up when several shadow clones appeared around them. They closed in on Sasuke and Naruto was freed as the Uchiha became preoccupied with destroying them.

Naruto climbed out of the scuffle, clutching his ribs. Sasuke always fought dirty, ambushing opponents and going for their weaknesses, inflicting as much damage as he could.

Did he really think he could still be baited so easily? That _anything _could distract him from getting back to Sakura?

The last of the clones disappeared and Naruto turned back to Sasuke just in time to catch another strike to the face. Naruto staggered back. Spat some blood. And still, Sasuke approached.

"Dammit teme," Naruto hissed, his eyes glowing red. Sasuke didn't have time to dodge.

Naruto thrust out his arm, and a surge of crimson chakra struck Sasuke like a wave, catching him across the chest, and throwing him several yards away. His body smashed into the earth, destroying the grounds several feet in his diameter and encasing the clearing with dust clouds.

As they settled, Naruto could spot him. Sasuke's shirt was in tatters, his chest bleeding from burns. His cursed seal glowed angrily behind his shoulder, but he would not give in to it.

Naruto watched Sasuke struggle to recover, his head lifting slightly, and limbs shuddering as he tried to get up. And then they dropped, and he was unmoving again.

Pressing his lips, Mirai Naruto darted off.


	34. Birthday Sex

**Author's Note:** It's looking like 41 chapters, which would include one more interlude and two epilogues.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 34**

Mirai Naruto stood in a forest clearing surrounded by the lush trees of the fire country, their leaves so dark, they were almost blue. They swayed in the warm breeze, dripping water like ink from the drooping foliage. The water, in turn, was a crystalline blue when it touched the sunlight that poured down through the shadows. Naruto bowed his head under the dawn. He was far enough from the village that no one was likely to bother him. He had completed his seals but had yet to activate the jutsu. He drew a kunai from his weapons holster and shoved it into his abdomen.

"Nrrgh..." Naruto grunted, pushing the weapon deeply enough that he wouldn't be able to heal. Blood dripped with soft, even taps, against the fallen leaves, alongside the raindrops, mingling, but never fusing with the water. His blood was far too impure.

Mirai Naruto stumbled forward several steps, but collapsed to the ground before he could reach his destination, a broad oak tree, against which he would perch – against which he would have held Sakura when he brought her back with him from that realm of death.

Naruto rolled painfully onto his back. It would have to do. He stared into the sky, at the brightness of the sun, and slowly, it consumed him.

Suddenly he was in that realm again, where wonderful and terrible things transpired. He lifted his eyelids. The pain was gone. He wondered if this was what death was like. Mayhem, manipulation, emptiness, greed...

**Naruto.**

He heard a near-forgotten voice, and forced himself to climb to his feet. **Ero-sennin. **And as he said it, it seemed the sannin materialized before him. Mirai Naruto fell into the larger man's arms. Tears ran down his cheeks, his emotions overcoming him. **I was trying to reach you before. Or baa-chan. Not **_**him!**_

Jiraiya said nothing, and Naruto slowly looked up from his kimono, meeting his tattooed face and arrogant grin. Naruto couldn't help but smile back. For just that moment, he thought everything would be all right.

**What do you want?** His sensei said.

His words were marked with apathy. Despite his beam, his face was devoid of recognition. His grin softened to a more sinister smile, eyes alight with something Naruto couldn't comprehend.

Anticipation?

Naruto swallowed, and started. "I want-" he halted, grunting in pain as his organs twisted within him. It was like his entire being was at war with him. "I want Sakura back," he said hoarsely, and dropped to kneeling, clutching his abdomen where the pain was at its apex. "What can I offer?"

Words echoed around him, within him, and was accompanied by more pain. Naruto held his skull which felt as though it was splitting in two.

_I want your beating heart._

_...your past and future..._

_...you to be separated from her for eternity._

But Jiraiya spoke simply, **Give me your soul...**

**And I'll see what I can do...**

Naruto stared. **You'll see what you can do?** The sannin was offering him no guarantee. **That isn't enough, **Naruto urged, but Jiraiya simply watched him. Naruto's eyes turned red.** Give her to me! **he snarled. He lunged for the elder man, but his body met air, and he collapsed in a heap to the grass. Gasping, Naruto looked up at the sky. He was back in the Fire Country, his clothes soaked in blood. Releasing a strangled cry, he wrenched the kunai out of his stomach, and then he lay there in the grass, shaking...

Bleeding...

Sakura further away from him than she had ever been before...

* * *

Mirai Sasuke sharply inhaled from the pain of her contact. Sakura usually handled his injuries. He met his wife's torn expression.

"You need to be healed. I'll get Tsunade-sama-" Mirai Hinata turned to leave, but he caught her arm.

"Finish."

Both looked at each other with stubborn expressions. Hinata recovered the bandages and continued to meticulously wrap his torso. Not too loose, not too tight... like all the times when she bandaged Hanabi's eyes, she mused. Her eyes drifted to Sasuke's arms. Those too were covered in cuts and burns.

"I'm fine," said Mirai Sasuke. He seemed more fatigued than anything else. His eyelids began to lower.

There was a knock on the door, and a blonde head poked into the room. Mirai Naruto offered a guilty smile. "Hey."

Hinata immediately moved in front of Sasuke, her palms out and byakugan activated. She glared angrily at Naruto.

Naruto frowned as he entered. Hinata had failed to realize that Sasuke had been the main aggressor in their conflict.

"It's okay," said Mirai Sasuke, but Hinata did not take her eyes off the blonde. Sasuke stood with effort, and rested his hand on her shoulder. Hinata looked up at him and reluctantly lowered her stance.

Sasuke nodded to Naruto.

"Where's Kasai?" Mirai Naruto asked casually.

"Entertaining some elders."

"I'm sure..." Naruto snickered. "Heh." He seemed very weary. Finally, he answered Sasuke's unspoken inquiry. "It didn't work." He glanced away and scratched his head in hopes to disguise his frustration.

**What did they want? **Sasuke asked.

_Che. _**My soul.**

Sasuke clenched his jaw. The stakes were getting higher. He had feared as much. He recalled Sakura's unwilling offering. **At that kind of price, how are any of us going to be able to get back to our time?  
**

"I don't care!" snapped Naruto, aloud.

Sasuke scowled, and Hinata's eyes widened as she realized she was being excluded from the conversation. She looked at Sasuke, her brows furrowed.

Naruto's eyes were focused on the window. He distractedly wiped at his tears.

He remembered all the times in the past Sakura had almost died. But she was always okay. She always survived. Her biggest regret throughout her adulthood had been not acquiring Tsunade's seal. She had been determined she could protect everyone alongside herself.

"We can get her back, Naruto-kun," Hinata said quietly. "Like Kasai-"

Naruto shook his head. "It's different. Sakura hasn't ceased to exist, she died naturally. I can't _unteach _her the seal-"

"You can teach her not to abuse it," said Sasuke.

Mirai Naruto bit the inside of his cheek. Sakura was stubborn at any age. He had no confidence that he could restrain her with words alone. Not with all the dangers she would find herself encountering in the coming years. Not with Inner Sakura persistent, and pressuring her to take action.

"I can eliminate the reasons she would find to use it in the first place," Naruto finally said. "Hanabi-"

"Hanani isn't a threat anymore," Sasuke disagreed, but Naruto wasn't convinced. "Sakura would find reason to abuse the seal regardless. You have to start from the beginning."

Naruto grimaced. "Inner Sakura?" He was reluctant about Sasuke's convictions.

"Even before that."

* * *

That morning the young Sasuke went to the young Naruto's apartment. He himself didn't know specifically what for. He needed someone to confide in, but at the same time, didn't want to. It was all giving him a headache. After several seconds of rapping on Naruto's door, Sasuke turned the knob and found it was unlocked.

Naruto's studio apartment was no different than it had been during Sasuke's previous encounters with it: a mess. The floor was covered with garbage, dirty laundry, and other miscellaneous effects, the walls slathered with an assortment of condiments. There was no one in Naruto's bed, but a tan foot was poking out from a pile of rumpled newspapers. Though both had their own apartments from a young age, they couldn't have kept them more differently.

"Dobe?" called Sasuke casually. He opened the fridge and poked around through the barrage of moldy food. He wrinkled his nose at some furry mayonnaise before noticing a shivering toad in the corner by some slimy cucumbers.

The toad cried out in happiness at his apparent liberation. Sasuke took it. Sniffed it. The toad's seemed uncertain towards the Uchiha's behavior. Then Sasuke opened his mouth, fully intending to stuff the creature inside.

"Gama-chan!" Naruto screeched, snatching the toad and roughly shoving Sasuke aside where his head collided with the freezer door. "Leave him alone, you snake bastard!"

Sasuke stumbled away from the fridge, his nose bleeding from the impact. He eyed the blonde. Naruto was dressed in heart-printed boxers and a wifebeater. Sasuke hadn't noticed before, but Naruto was more muscled than him now. Like Kiba, even. He wondered if Hinata liked brawny guys.

Petting the toad protectively, Naruto returned it to the safety of his refrigerator, cutting off the creature's protests as he slammed the door closed. "What are you doing here anyway?" Naruto grumbled irritably. He reached into his boxers and scratched his ass.

Sasuke scowled and wiped his nose on arm warmer. "Just stopping by."

"Ne, teme?" The blonde was suspicious. "You're not trying to murder me again?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I told you, I'm just dropping by. After all, you are my..." he struggled to produce his next word. "...friend."

Naruto stared at him in a mixture of fear and awe.

"Anyway I have something to tell you..."

But the blonde was backing away, his eyes darting about wildly. Sasuke noticed he was moving in the direction of the window.

"Dobe-"

"You're not in love with me or something-?"

"What? No."

"And you're not trying to kill me?"

Sasuke tried to reason with him, but as he approached, he slipped on a pair of moldy underwear. He crashed into Naruto, and the two collapsed in a heap on some aged pasta.

"Never mind," managed Sasuke. Rotten spaghetti was his limit.

The two climbed off each other, both rather peeved. Sasuke noticed a mission hawk fly through window and perch itself upon Naruto's head. As the blonde hastily unraveled the note, Sasuke decided to make his leave. He had somewhere he had to go anyway.

"Ne teme, you're on here too."

Sasuke paused halfway to the door. He glanced back at Naruto.

"They want us at the gates immediately."

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke arrived at the gates within the hour, where they met Sakura, who seemed just as confused as they were. Their orders had been urgent, yet no one was present to meet them.

Sasuke was suspicious. As he was sealed to the village, it didn't make sense that he would be included in a mission...unless Tsunade was intending to lift her seal? It didn't seem plausible, but the concept left him keen. He touched his chest, where it was burned into his skin.

"You showed."

The three members of team seven turned and paled at who they spotted.

"Oh no..." groaned Sakura.

Mirai Naruto wore a wicked grin. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked especially deranged that afternoon.

"I'll be handling your training today," he said sinisterly.

So it had been a trick. There was no mission. Sasuke glared at the young Naruto, who shrugged. It wasn't _his_ fault his future-self was a crazed lunatic. He gave his teammates a strange wink. _I'll take care of this loser._

"What's this all about," young Naruto balked. "Look, we have things to do. We have no time to play with you. _Freakshow." _Folding his arms behind his head, the young Naruto walked off, his sandals slapping loudly on the dirt path.

Sasuke and Sakura sighed and began to follow, when Mirai Naruto suddenly materialized before them. Before any of them could act, Mirai Naruto kicked the young Naruto in the chest and sent him flying through the village gates, where he crashed to the ground.

Out of instinct, Sakura went after Naruto, but with a sharp cuff to the abdomen from Mirai Naruto, she collapsed. Before the young Sasuke could prepare himself, he was at the receiving end of Mirai Naruto's assault as well.

Mirai Naruto was faster than any of them could have imagined. He attacked them one at a time, never giving any of them a chance to regain their footing or collect their composure. He alternated between slamming Sasuke's head into his knee, to stomping upon the fallen Naruto's ribs, cuffing Sakura thrice in the throat, then back to knocking Sasuke around. The teenagers were easily outmatched by the future nin.

Mirai Naruto knew the three fought best when united. He thwarted any efforts they made to regroup. Maybe _that_ would have been a challenge. Mirai Naruto smirked at the floundering teenagers. They could barely gauge where he was going to be next.

A collection of bashes, bruises, and fractured limbs, Sasuke was the first to collapse. In contrast, the young Naruto always got back up. He had the greatest stamina of the three. He was durable to the point of detriment. Mirai Naruto struck him repetitively across the face, each of his cuffs erecting splatters of blood. He caught his young self by the throat and squeezed tightly. "No hard feelings," he grinned.

He had gone easier on Sakura, who was sprawled on the grass. He couldn't hit her with the enthusiasm with which he hit the boys. Mirai Naruto watched her from the corner of his eye. She forced herself up to all fours, trembling from the effort of staying conscious. She lifted her face and stared hatefully at him, her eyes alight with an infuriation only Inner Sakura could generate. The diamond on her forehead suddenly glowed.

So Sasuke had been right.

Mirai Naruto abruptly dropped the young Naruto and reappeared before the young Sakura, who jumped slightly in surprise. He knelt down to her level, lifting his pointer finger disapprovingly. "Bad idea."

"...what?" Sakura was too dizzy to understand. She watched his hand curl, and then everything went black.

* * *

She woke up in bed wondering why her whole body was aching. Sakura groaned and sat up.

"You're awake."

She looked up to spot Mirai Naruto sitting on her window sill, and she abruptly remembered the day's events. "Where are Naruto and Sasuke?"

"They'll be fine."

"Why did you-?" Sakura fumed. "You're insane!"

"Maybe I am?" Mirai Naruto smiled to himself, seeming amused by her remark.

She hadn't thought Naruto could be any more offensive than he already was, but in the past couple of days, Mirai Naruto had proven her wrong. He had gone from insulting her and her friends to outright _beating them up._ To that moment Sakura could not comprehend how such an asshole could have such an attractive smile.

"I wanted to talk to you about your inner-self."

Sakura's eyes widened. "How do you know-?"

"I'm from the future." Mirai Naruto waved her off, silencing her impatiently. "She's bad for you, you know? She'll be the death of you."

Sakura drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. She didn't know how to control Inner Sakura. She didn't know why it mattered. It was just a defense mechanism. It wasn't as though it was anything serious. So she voiced her wonder, "Why does it matter?"

Mirai Naruto dropped from the window sill. He approached her and took her hand, examining her pretty, bruised fingers. "It's the only thing that matters," he said.

Sakura was at a loss for words.

But just as quickly, Mirai Naruto released her hand and returned to her window. He lifted one of his feet to the frame, before pausing. "Don't worry about my young self. Surprising as it may seem, he's pretty competent with his fists."

And still, she didn't understand.

"He can take care of himself," said Mirai Naruto, looking back at her.

Sakura was stricken. Her fingers gripped her sheets. When had Naruto _ever_ taken care of himself? It was always her! Didn't Mirai Naruto know? Hadn't he been there all those times? Didn't he see himself die and awake, time and again, in her arms? Or was he just as oblivious as his young alternate?

"Naruto-" she said, looking up. But he was already gone.

* * *

The young Sasuke sat on the teacher's desk of the empty classroom he had visited on several occasions over the past month. He was ridden in cuts and bruises, his shirt torn, and his face covered in scratches. His arm was in a sling, and there was a bandage taped to his cheek. His posture was terrible, and he seemed generally irritable, so much so that Hinata was reluctant to inquire-

"Are you okay?" Her words were mumbled. She pressed her pointer fingers together, gaze averted from his.

"Fine," said Sasuke, fumbling and throwing off the sling. He began to straighten his arm, before wincing, and deciding against it.

Hinata stared at him and wondered who had beaten him up.

"It wasn't Naruto," he said abruptly, before pausing and realizing that wasn't entirely true.

"I-I didn't think-!" Hinata stammered, also lying. They looked at each other, then looked away, falling into silence.

The purpose of their meeting was to discuss the recent events – their marriage, Kasai's conception date – how they would go about the next five or so years – but both realized they didn't particularly want to talk about any of it. They had come to realize they were different from their past selves. They hadn't been forced to mature at the same pace.

Hinata lowered her hands to force herself to stop fidgeting. Maybe if she tried to open up then he would too. She swallowed her nerves and started. "I'm going to take the jounin exams when I turn eighteen. I was thinking of taking on students." Something Mirai Sasuke had mentioned made sense. He might have known her better than she knew herself.

"You can't keep them when you get pregnant," Sasuke said dismissively.

Hinata flushed. It was a logical point. "Then m-maybe after I have-" His. _Their. _"-th-the baby."

"With our child at home by herself?" said Sasuke scathingly. It seemed he had strong opinions about parenthood. "Not to mention our other children."

"W-what other children?"

"Reviving a clan is a lot of-" He should have said _work,_ but what he said was, "-sex." He looked her over, seeming strangely content.

The room was spinning. "M-maybe we can have t-t-two." Hinata was willing to compromise.

Sasuke did not look pleased.

"A-and you can help l-look after-"

"I'll be in the ANBU, I won't have time for babysitting," said Sasuke flatly. "Besides, I'm not a fan of children. I think you should consider retiring-"

"I don't want to have any children with you," Hinata abruptly decided. She turned to leave, but Sasuke stood, catching her wrists.

"I'm teasing you."

She wasn't convinced. The room continued to swim around her.

"Two then," said Sasuke. He pulled her until their bodies were touching. She felt heat rise to her cheeks, but refused to meet his eyes.

Sasuke sighed and released her. He pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket. The one Mirai Hinata had given them. He crumpled it into a tiny ball and tossed it into the overflowing wastebasket.

Hinata blanched.

She couldn't remember the date. Did he remember the date? She hurried to the wastebasket and dropped to her knees to rummage through the hundreds of billions of tiny pieces of scrap paper packed into it. She felt desperate, mortified, and was dimly aware of how oddly Sasuke was staring at her. But the date was important! She hadn't realized just _how_ important until that moment!

"I remember it," Sasuke reluctantly reassured her. He seemed fascinated by her panic.

Hinata looked up at him from the floor, teary-eyed. "How could you be sure?" It was Kasai's date of conception – a critically important date. What if they messed everything up? She balled up her hands and held them to her eyes, proceeding to hyperventilate._  
_

"It's my birthday." Sasuke's voice cut through the chaos.

Blinking, Hinata lowered her hands from her wet face. "What?"

"Kasai was conceived on my twentieth birthday," he deadpanned. Even he wore a slight blush.

Both stared at each other for a moment, and then abruptly looked away. Her face was burning.

There was nothing more to be said.


	35. Desperation

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 35**

So she had to give Sasuke sex on his twentieth birthday. _It's in July,_ he had told her in all seriousness.

Right. She could do that. She had plenty of time to mentally prepare herself for sex, and besides, it was five years away. Well, it was more like four years and some months, but what did it matter? They would be older. Things would be different.

Sex...with Sasuke. She tried to fight down her embarrassment and maintain aloofness.

_We'll be ready by then, _he had said. He took the drawstring of her pullover and idly twisted it between his fingers, seeming to examine it, but his gaze was far off. He wore a thoughtful expression and she wondered if she saw sympathy in his eyes.

_I have between then and now to make you like me,_ Sasuke remarked.

She'd already told him she liked him – it was true! – but maybe she didn't make a convincing argument.

Presently, Hinata stood with her back against a tree, her body hidden from view. She was unable to compel herself to join the nin preparing to train a few yards away. She had gotten little sleep the previous night, her time spent tossing and turning and being generally phobic of sex. Morning had offered her little relief, just more apprehension.

She could hear the chatter of the sleepy members of team seven and eight beyond the trees. She still hadn't told Kiba and Shino about her marriage to Sasuke. Maybe she could think about how she would go about doing that to distract herself for the time being. She smiled at the thought of their reactions. It would begin with horror, followed by infuriation, wariness, then finally acceptance. They'd assure her they would impale Sasuke if he tried to pull anything improper. She always had her teammates to look out for her.

Just as Hinata convinced herself to join the others for that day's training, she heard Sasuke speaking somewhere beyond the brush. Everything else became background noise.

"Can you put me with someone different today?" he said.

Hinata imagined his pocketed hands, scratched face, and humorless expression.

"But you and Hinata work well together." – Kakashi's voice had a hint of amusement.

"I don't want to be with Hinata..." Sasuke trailed off when the girl in question came out from behind the tree. For a tense moment they stared at one another, before Hinata took off through the trees in trademark fashion.

Sasuke sighed.

Before any of the others could register what had happened, he disappeared in a flash of darkness and raced through the forest, dodging obstacles aptly, his surroundings a haze of color. He reemerged in a part of the forest Hinata was on a path to cross. His sharingan glowed in the darkness.

Sasuke leaned against a tree and mused about how emotional Hinata appeared to be. On first glance, she didn't seem high-maintenance, but she was worse than Naruto and Sakura _combined_. It would take getting used to.

He sunk to the base of the tree, suddenly fatigued. Drawing up one of his knees, he reminded himself to play _nice _when she got there. The girl in question ran by.

"Hinata-"

His eyes widened as she tripped and crashed face-first to the ground. She curled on her side and clutched her nose groaning in pain.

The corner of his mouth twitched though he didn't know why. He remained where he was as she climbed to her knees and spotted him. She was like a deer that was ready to flee. She hesitated, then sat on her heels. "Sasuke..."

He raised his eyebrows, momentarily impressed.

"Kun," Hinata belatedly added, diminishing the effect.

"Hinata," he said, which was the way he always addressed her, but now it had more meaning. He was inviting her to be less formal.

Hinata bit her bottom lip. "You're fast," she mumbled petulantly.

"It's my thing."

"Right." She rubbed her red nose, and his lip twitched again. Maybe he delighted in the sight of her anguish? No, that wasn't it. She was...what was that word...cute?

Sasuke tried to gather his thoughts. "You're sensitive," he mused.

"N-no I'm not." Hinata fought back a sudden onslaught of tears.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. He wasn't good with expressing himself, or being nice to girls for that matter. He was slightly alarmed by how incompatible they were, and how poorly he knew her. But the more he did the more he seemed to like her. "I don't like sparring with you because I don't like..._hitting_ you. It's not because you're a kunoichi." He recalled the many occasions he and Sakura had beaten the crap out of each other. "It's because you're..."

He trailed off as he watched her draw up both knees to wrap her arms around them. Dark amethyst hair hung in her face and around her shoulders. Her white eyes were wide and full of curiosity.

"...my wife."

They fell into silence, Hinata looking stunned.

Sasuke climbed to his feet and offered Hinata his hand. She meekly took it, and allowed him to pull her up, bringing her in front of him, against him-

Suddenly her lips to his.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he registered that he was being kissed. He was encompassed by something unfamiliar yet addictive, her freesia scent invading his senses and intoxicating him; reprogramming him.

So maybe he would try being nicer to Hinata, and if she only wanted to have one child, that was fine too, in fact he was sure he could find time to babysit sometimes, and if it was really necessary, he could always just retire and stay home so Hinata could go off on missions and such and-

She suddenly broke away, and he opened his eyes, feeling dizzy. Clamping his parted lips, he looked around and tried to remember where he was.

Right. He was with Hinata, her gaze averted, and her cheeks flushed pink. Releasing his shoulders, she fell a step back, before taking to the trees and disappearing.

Sasuke pocketed his hands and stared after her.

* * *

_He knelt down and leaned over her recumbent form. "You're going to be okay." He forced a smile, reassuring himself as well as her. "You always are," he murmured, holding either side of her face._

_She didn't seem to register his voice. Her paling pupils stared vacantly up at him._

_His smile faded. "Baa-chan-?" he said, entreating that she help him._

_But Tsunade stood frozen just beyond his shoulder. He glanced back to see her pallid expression, and only then did it begin to register..._

Mirai Naruto drifted from his reverie.

He was sitting on one of the lower branches of a tree watching teams seven and eight wrap up their latest training session.

Nothing had changed since his talk with the young Sakura. Another midnight had passed, _another day without her. _He clenched his jaw and silently watched as Kakashi disappeared in a poof of smoke. The teenagers began to depart, Kiba and Shino going off in one direction, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura walking off in the other.

"You're acting weird teme. What happened with Hinata?" young Naruto asked the young Sasuke. He folded his arms behind his head whilst peering at him.

Sasuke seemed uncomfortable for some reason. "Hinata left. I couldn't catch her."

_That was a damn lie._ "What did she say," asked Naruto with feigned amiability, like he was urging a stubborn child to tell the truth.

"Nothing. Nothing happened," said Sasuke impatiently. He wouldn't meet Naruto's eyes.

Realization dawned on the blonde's face. "She kissed you!"

The young Naruto didn't miss the glimpse of alarm that crossed Sasuke's expression. "No she-"

"_Hinata kissed Sasuke!"_ Naruto sang. _"Hinata kissed Sasuke, Hinata kissed- _oof," he was cut off as Sasuke punched in the stomach. But that wasn't it. Sasuke threw him into a nearby river blank then rolled up his sleeves, proceeding after him where the two got all wet and muddy and whatnot.

Sakura sighed and rubbed her temple. She was growing weary of all their Hinata-induced brawls.

"Sakura, a word?"

Sakura turned and spotted Mirai Naruto standing several yards away. He was wearing that increasingly inauthentic smile of his. As he beckoned her over, Sakura uncertainly glanced back at her wrestling teammates. She decided Mirai Naruto seemed like better company.

"I want to show you something," he said, as he led her through the woods.

She would have been more cautious if he hadn't betrayed his concern for her the previous day. Besides, he was _Naruto. _She couldn't imagine a version of him that wasn't the stupid, lovesick, ramen-gorging goofball she was forced to put up with on a daily basis.

Mirai Naruto stopped in a vaguely familiar clearing. Sakura glanced around. "Training ground three," she smiled. She tried to put Hyuuga Hinata far from her mind, and the fact that she and Sasuke might have been kissing not far from there not long ago. "We haven't used this field in years," said Sakura, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

Mirai Naruto smiled back. "Yes. This is where I buried her." He gestured to a plot of recently upturned soil.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Who-?"

He had mulled it over dozens of times in his mind. It could never be wise to tell someone when they were going to die but he was running out of options. "Mirai Sakura. I knew she loved it here. So this is where I buried her," said Mirai Naruto.

The young Sakura was overcome by fright. She began to back away from him, but Mirai Naruto caught her forearm. As she stood there, she realized there could have been truth to his claim. She often saw Mirai Naruto, Mirai Sasuke, and Mirai Hinata, but she hadn't seen her future counterpart in days. "How-?" she wanted to know, tears pooling at the bottom of her eyes.

"She abused Tsunade's technique. It gave her immortality in the field. I wonder if it was worth dying at twenty-five?"

Even as he said it, Mirai Naruto had doubts about the effect it would have on her. Sakura had always been fiercely protective of her loved ones. If she could save Konoha she would sacrifice herself ten times over. Even at fifteen, she held those convictions. Inner Sakura waited within her, ready to enforce them.

"There has to be something you love enough to live for," Mirai Naruto said, but the young Sakura had had enough.

Tearing away from him, she ran off.

* * *

Not unlike his young self, Mirai Sasuke was sore from a confrontation with Mirai Naruto. He absently scratched the bandages that wrapped his torso beneath his shirt. It just reminded him of Sakura's absence.

"Sorry I'm late," he mentioned insincerely to his subordinates. They peered curiously at his bandaged arms. "Hanabi, Udon, I want you to spar. No ninjutsu today."

His students nodded and assumed fighting stances. Kasai went to join them, and he stiffened.

"Kasai, observe."

She looked scandalized. "But tousan-"

"Observe."

Her face fell, but she joined him at the edge of the clearing, squirming, and fidgeting, and making him again wonder if she wasn't hyperactive. Sasuke sat on a log, and Kasai settled on climbing onto his back and wrapping her arms around his neck in what felt like a stranglehold.

Mirai Sasuke caught her arms and loosened her grasp. He gave her a strained smile that he offered no other, and didn't mention she was hurting him, or that he felt like he was being stabbed in the spine. Kasai smiled back sweetly. He could sense the young Naruto somewhere on one of the surrounding grounds, but Kasai didn't notice. At five, she only had eyes for him.

Mirai Sasuke's gaze drifted back to Udon and Hanabi's spar.

He was surprised to see Udon was holding his own this time. Hanabi had a noticeable handicap without her bloodline limit. It was abnormal to Mirai Sasuke, as he had never known her _with _the byakugan. Kasai scrambled up to his shoulders to better view the fight.

"This is stupid," Hanabi growled after taking a cuff to her ribs. She activated the byakugan.

"I said no ninjutsu," called Mirai Sasuke. He restrained himself from becoming involved.

Hanabi ignored him. As with their last training session, she proceeded to pummel Udon, and within minutes, knocked him to the ground in a heap of bruises. With or without her eyes, she was impudent as ever.

Hanabi yelped as a tuft of grass brushing her sandal suddenly caught fire. She stumbled back and fell on her bottom before rubbing her singed ankle.

Sasuke blinked and glanced at his hands, before pausing, and looking up at Kasai. Her eyes were wide, sharingan activated, fingers lodged in his hair as she observed the battle.

"Please, tousan, let me play. Please, please, _please?_" She didn't take her eyes off Hanabi.

Sasuke raised his brow, more curious than concerned. "Sure."

Kasai launched herself at Hanabi, the two becoming a tumble of clothes and limbs. Hanabi struggled to detach the five year old, when suddenly she felt a strange heat flow through the air. She dodged just as some leaves where her arm had been burst into flames. "Fuck," she hissed, flinging Kasai into some nearby bushes.

Sasuke scowled, irritated moreso at the curse word than the assault. He already knew Kasai was going to repeat it.

Kasai climbed out of the bushes, some leaves sticking out of her hair. She grinned at Hanabi, who cartwheeled backwards, gracefully avoiding a new trail of fire. She was learning to predict her attacks.

Kasai closed their distance, and the two girls again clashed in a barrage of punches, kicks, and bites (to Hanabi's alarm). Though Hanabi was evidently going easy on her, Kasai was holding her own reasonably well. Mirai Sasuke's cheek twitched as she tripped over Udon while avoiding one of the older girl's attacks.

"Fuck!"

Mirai Sasuke winced. "I think that's enough for today..."

He was too distracted to notice the mud-slathered young Sasuke and Naruto standing on the other side of the clearing blankly watching the fight.

* * *

Hinata sat at the counter of Ichiraku staring down at the narutomakis littering her ramen. She twirled the stew around with her chopsticks.

Ramen was a comfort. It reminded her of easier times like her years fawning over Naruto, and not being married to Sasuke, not bickering with Sasuke about their prospective futures, not kissing Sasuke...

...her lips on his...

She felt herself blush and continued to stare into her ramen, trying not to think of the exhilaration, the euphoria, how insane she must have been at just that moment to have _kissed _him.

Someone sat in the empty seat beside hers. She glanced up to spot the boy in question and quickly directed her eyes back to her food.

"One ramen," Sasuke ordered. He might not have even noticed her. She imagined he came there often with Naruto. She tried to speak but words eluded her.

Sasuke seemed preoccupied, maybe even a little angry. She recoiled as he frowned down into his drink. He obviously didn't like girls as forward as she was. She had gotten ahead of herself. They were barely together. It was just a technicality.

So she tried to apologize. "S-Sa-"

Sasuke failed to notice her struggles. He had been on his way home from the bathhouse when he noticed Hinata at Ichiraku. Despite joining her, he was still reflecting upon Kasai's abilities.

_Fire_, he thought. Generally, he favored electricity, but Kasai could do things with fire he hadn't imagined. He glanced down at the palm of his hand and wondered where she had he learned such things? To conjure flames without physical techniques? _Damn, _he thought. He couldn't relax. He had to figure this out.

Hinata had just determined that Sasuke was too angry to speak. Just before she could take her leave, he glanced her way, and suddenly she could breathe again.

Sasuke furrowed his brows, noticing Hinata's torn expression. "Come here," he muttered, taking her chin, drawing her to him, kissing her lightly.

With that, he got up and left her there, flustered, and dizzy, and short on cash as Teuchi lowered his bowl and looked around.

Hinata fumbled with her chopsticks but her fingers wouldn't collaborate with one another. A small smile graced her lips despite her valiant efforts to suppress it. The world swam around her.

"I'll take it," someone mentioned, gesturing to Sasuke's ramen. Hinata looked up to see Mirai Naruto taking the vacant seat beside her. She tensed.

"It's okay," he said, as he gathered Sasuke's chopsticks and plucked a naruto up from his dish. He smiled at it. "I think it's time I told you why me and my comrades came to the past."

Hinata's eyes widened. Her mind worked in overdrive as she tried to determine whether she even wanted this information, but her brain was still numb and cloudy from Sasuke's kiss.

"It's Hanabi," Naruto said. He stuffed the naruto into his mouth and continued casually, his mouth full. "In our time...she's a monster. She attacked Konoha, and she killed...a lot of people. Your friends. Your family. Rokudaime." He swallowed. "My wife," he said hoarsely.

Hinata stared up at him in horror. She wanted Mirai Naruto to stop, but he continued.

"You have to end this, _imouto_. Only you."


	36. Interlude 10

**Author's Note:** It was going to be one final interlude, but I'm going to have to make it two. Please note that I started this story pre-timeskip, so Sasuke's sentiments here don't reflect the ones he has in the anime/manga, nor do the characters' abilities, etc.

VICIOUS SPOILERS- I actually just read the last few Naruto chapters. First of all, wow. So much drama! I'm afraid I'm turning into a NaruHina fan! I'm especially loving Naruto, Tsunade, Gaara, and Orochimaru's roles in the story. I appreciated the homage Kishimoto paid to DragonBall Z and Yu Yu Hakusho in the beast names, very sweet. I loved how the battle with Kabuto was full of homosexual innuendo. And am I the only one who finds Madara incredibly sexy, and secretly wants him to win? –nosebleed- Also, one question- if someone bites Naruto, will they be instantly healed as he moans erotically? Or does this only apply to Uzumakis who have been experimented on? I don't care, Sasuke needs to join the battle already and give it a try!

And chapter 619 came out this morning. I – can't- I just – can't express how great that chapter was!

On another note, if you ever want to break my heart, just send me pictures of Lee crying. D: (Or pictures of genin-Gai. That'll work too!)

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 10**

_The Beginning._

Neji stood in front of the classroom dressed in the standard chunnin uniform. Naruto-san had advised him years ago that academy students had weak emotional faculties and would likely be intimidated if he came to work in his ANBU armor.

"The Hokage line is littered with professional, but also familial ties. The first, the _Shodai, _was Senju Hashirama, and the second was his brother, Senju Tobirama. The third was a little before your time – Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was a student of Nidaime's."

At his desk, Sarutobi Asuma looked up from whispering to Yamashiro Mei, his crimson eyes alight with curiosity.

"To continue, we must get into the students of the third: Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. These three were known as the legendary sannin for the better part of their lives. The fourth Hokage was a student of _sannin_ Jiraiya's. His name was Namikaze Minato. The fifth was _sannin_ Tsunade and granddaughter of the first. The sixth Hokage, as you know, is Hatake Kakashi, student of the fourth. Our newest Kage was appointed only in the past five years – son of the forth and student of Rokudaime: Uzumaki Naruto. Next in line to succeed him-"

"Uchiha Sauske."

Neji glanced at door to spot Naruto, and raised an eyebrow. "Ten years back from raping snakes in some backwater, and you'd entrust him with the village?"

Naruto frowned as the classroom giggled.

Neji returned his attention to the class. "As you know, the former subordinates of Rokudaime's: Uzumaki-sama and his teammates Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke – each took tutelage from Jiraiya, Tsunade, and disgraced sannin, Orochimaru, at some point in their lives. Some are calling them the _new _sannin. Unbeknownst to Shichidaime-sama-" he gestured to Naruto. "-Uchiha Sasuke is not in line. The best candidate is Haruno Sakura, followed by Shichidaime's protégé, granted his meets the expectations the village elders have for him. You're dismissed."

As the clutter of ten-year-olds gathered their things and began to filter out, Neji turned back to Naruto. "Hokage-sama," he greeted him.

Naruto uncrossed his arms and entered the room. "You're wrong. It's Sasuke."

"Are you anticipating your retirement?"

Naruto snorted.

"What can I do for you?" Neji took a seat behind his desk and riffled through papers. It was progress report season, and as with the previous few years, he had to figure out how to put the incompetence of twenty-five children into tactful words.

"Teaching doesn't suit you," said Naruto. "Still, I feel there are a few things I could do to learn before I convince you to return to the ANBU."

Neji looked up and waited for Naruto to get to his point.

"Do you think a non-Hyuuga could master one of your techniques? Even without the byakugan?"

"The byakugan is essential in most of the Hyuuga techniques. But I suppose you could take a manual approach to anything. For example, performing _Hake Rokujuyon Sho_ by memorizing the placement of the three-hundred-sixty-one tenkutsu points throughout the human body. It would be difficult, but not impossible." Naruto was watching him intently. "But this isn't the technique that holds your interest," Neji observed.

Naruto glanced away. "Kinjutsu."

Forbidden techniques. Why did Naruto want to become involved with those? Neji pushed aside his paperwork. "The Hyuuga clan has a decent assortment of them. Which one do you want me to show you?"

Naruto looked up in surprise. He pressed his lips, then spoke again.

Neji never bothered to ask the Kage what he wanted with forbidden techniques. He understood their allure: an immeasurable power at an immeasurable price. Sometimes he fantasized about dappling in it himself.

Neji nodded as Naruto told him what he wanted to learn, his blonde head bowed by the end of the hapless explanation. Neji should have offered him counsel instead of facilitating his recklessness. Naruto was his friend. He should have cared on _some level_.

But he didn't. "Let's get started," said Neji.

* * *

There were five years of peace following Hanabi's escape from Konoha. Five years that he didn't know if she was dead or alive, and yet a great weight was lifted from his shoulders, one he hadn't known to be there in the first place. Hanabi became a figment of the past, alongside Itachi, Orochimaru, his parents, his clan, his years spent as a missing nin, his bloody hands, Hinata's battered body...it was all behind him, which was neither a good nor a bad thing. It was what it was.

In those five years he watched Kasai learn to crawl, then walk, and construe her first words.

Hinata had always been regretful that Kasai had inherited her white eyes. It meant she would also inherit the clan, though Hinata had always wanted her to be like him. _Free, _she'd say. _Like her father_.

Freedom had its downsides, Sasuke noted, rubbing the seal behind his neck. He had grown up with indiscipline and chaos. Kasai would be raised with guidance and order. The elders taught her to obey her parents, respect her peers, to speak clearly and properly, to convey herself effectively, not to touch people without warrant or invitation, Hyuuga posture and etiquette: bowing to tatami, simple Japanese characters, even holding chopsticks properly. In contrast, the Nara child picked his nose and ate bugs.

She was fortunate to have been born with white eyes. She would have no shortage of family throughout her life. He had lost his clan in his childhood and had spent his teenage years being hunted for his blood, his eyes, and the ownership of his very body. It hadn't been easy being the last sharingan-user, particularly as a child, when he had been impressionable and vulnerable. He had been forced to become stronger, a trait that was quickly supplemented with anger. If Naruto hadn't brought him back, he probably would have died for his anger.

He just wanted Kasai's life to go differently. But to suggest his child was being sheltered was – Hinata's point of view.

With time, he became increasingly aware of his wife's dissatisfaction with her position as clan head. Like Naruto, she missed going on missions and actively participating in the shinobi trade. Despite it, Sasuke failed to hide his opposition to her current enterprise.

"I'll be back in a few weeks," she said, sensing his displeasure.

"Okay," he said calmly. He would go to sleep and pretend he didn't hear her leaving him in the morning. He was being hypocritical, after all. He had spent years doing reconnaissance missions and assassinations in faraway countries, and Hinata had never complained.

Hinata was Konoha's newest ambassador to Kumo, in which she would be travelling and helping the village recover from its latest war for at least the next several weeks. He wondered if it wasn't a disguised effort to look for Hanabi, but shook the thought from his mind. They were passed that. Hanabi could have been anywhere by then.

"I owe it to Naruto," she mumbled. Few were eligible and willing to take the job. Relations between the Hyuuga clan and the rest of Konoha had been strained ever since Hinata's offense five years before. Only his influence on the Hokage had kept her from incarceration. Maybe she wanted to work off her great debt to him.

But Kumo, of all places? Twice, their nin had tried to steal her eyes. Once, they had stolen something else.

"Un." He was seated against the headboard, one of his legs drawn. His forehead protector rested on the nightstand leaving his hair to hang in his eyes, otherwise he just wore slacks. Hinata stood in her nightdress beside the bed, still trying to bargain for his support.

"It's important to me," said Hinata, and he mulled it over once again. She wanted to turn the feigned alliance between Kumo and Konoha into an authentic one. Since her childhood, Konoha had been victim to their covert assaults, the Hyuuga clan especially.

"I understand," he said, but he could tell Hinata wasn't convinced. He closed his eyes, fatigued.

"Sasuke, I feel like I'm – a figurehead," she said, finally revealing what was really on her mind.

Ah. This. "You're the leader of your clan."

"You don't understand."

Sasuke opened his eyes. He didn't want to argue with her. "Hinata, go to sleep. Think of better days, when you'll be back home, hogging blankets, and denying me sex." He began to pull off his socks.

Hinata frowned in concern and caught him off guard with her next statement: "You want sex?"

Sasuke paused, the remaining sock on his foot momentarily forgotten. Hinata was gullible sometimes. "No, I was just-"

"I'm your wife. You have to tell me these things." She looked hurt. "Men need it more than woman. And it's bad for your focus to be so – tense."

Sasuke wondered where she was getting her information. Maybe she was spending too much time around Tenten. He scrutinized her and suspected she was messing with him, so he concealed his embarrassment, not that he was embarrassed. "You have to leave in the morning. You need sleep," he said firmly.

"Stop changing subject. We're talking about what _you_ need."

He rubbed his nose in case it was bleeding, and entertained the concept of agreeing with her. Was she still bartering for his approval or was this something more sinister? "Onna, we're not..."

He trailed off as she crawled into bed and slid behind him, against him, one of her hands coming around to slip into the front of his waistband.

He stiffened. "Hinata – don't-"

"Shhh. _Kasai._" Their child was sleeping. It was the usual disclosure.

Sasuke grit his teeth as she began to touch him inappropriately. He deeply inhaled, and reminded himself to _shut up _because Kasai was sleeping and Hinata was...

His pupils rolled upwards and his eyelids sank...Hinata was the one who wanted it...it wouldn't be his fault if she couldn't wake up in the morning...he groaned.

Hinata smiled and kissed his shoulder, enjoying the way his body responded to her will and not his.

Neither got any sleep that night.

* * *

Naruto had a hard life. Hinata had amazing breasts. They deserved each other. And yet she had settled for him. Wanted him. Loved him. Did all sorts of dirty things to him.

He idly watched her getting dressed as he was inclined to doing whenever he could. She noticed, and threw him a smile. Returning to the bed, she leaned over and uncharacteristically kissed his cheek. He unintentionally winced.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she said.

Right. Sweetheart. He thought it best not to respond.

Hinata turned away from him, sitting on the edge of the bed to pull on her sandals. "Think about it Sasuke. This is what life could be like," she threatened. "No ninja duties. Sex every night. We'd have a bunch of babies, and I'd be your dutiful wife. Maybe I'd even have dinner waiting for you every night when you came home from work."

"Horrifying," he mentioned sarcastically, closing his eyes.

"Isn't it what you want for Kasai?"

"Yes." He paused. "Excluding the parts about marriage, sex, babies, and...dinner." Why was she making him think these things? She was the ruler of the eldest clan in the village. She enjoyed full control and respect from its members. Did she not appreciate this rare authority? Kasai was a true Hyuuga, and would spend her life draped in the clan's protection. Maybe the volatility of the Uchiha lineage would fade and be forgotten.

It was pointless to quarrel. He tried to be agreeable, to not prolong their discourse, and nodded to whatever she said next. She seemed to notice his resignation.

Hinata had come so far since the night he had met her. Both of them had. He didn't know how to voice this.

He felt her lean down again and kiss him sincerely, on the lips. Sasuke opened his eyes as she pulled back, and for a while they simply watched each other, Hinata's long hair hanging over her shoulder to tickle his throat. Then she kissed him once more and left without another word.

* * *

A few weeks later, Sakura and Naruto smiled slyly at each other across the coffee table.

"Ojisan, can we play dolls, 'Jiisan? Jiisan? Ojisan?"

The two Konohaers were at the Hyuuga house, Sakura babysitting Kasai. Naruto had dropped by then decided not to leave, because Sakura was _clearly _at a loss without him, and surely needed his expertise of all things in order to execute such a mission.

"What, what is it?" the Kage distractedly asked, far more interested in his wife's smile than the wired five-year-old. Kasai was noticeably different in the absence of the elders, and had spent most of the evening pining for his attention.

"Do you want to play dolls with me?" said Kasai. "Please Oji?" She tugged on his gaudy apparel, and threw his companion dirty looks. Sakura scratched her head and wondered if Kasai had forgotten who'd given her the dolls.

Naruto finally looked down at her, throwing a hasty grin. "Dolls? I have a better idea."

The name of the game was s_annin_.

Sakura was on board. She gave Kasai some purple eye shadow as Naruto wrapped a purple bow around her waist, then he taught her the evil laugh. "Like this. Kukuku."

_Kukukuku!_

"That's it! Now close your eyes and count to three, then you have to try to kill us."

As Kasai did as ordered, Naruto and Sakura hurried off to hide.

"Kukukukuku!" said Kasai as she trolled the property for her caretakers, arms stretched out like some sort of Franken-creature's.

"How long do you think she'll keep this up?" Sakura whispered. Her back was to Naruto's chest as he embraced her in the den by some bookshelves. Sakura giggled as Naruto's fingers ghosted her hip, before her laughter was muffled when he abruptly covered her mouth.

Kasai ran by the door, still cackling inanely. He wondered why they had left it ajar.

"Let's find out," said Naruto, kissing her throat and only causing Sakura's laughter to intensify because he was scruffy that day, and it tickled.

The door swung open, and the two froze. Initially they thought it was Kasai, but they blanched upon spotting Sasuke.

Naruto pushed Sakura away from him as though she was another man's woman. She collided with Sasuke, who caught her around the waist. The two awkwardly separated as Naruto blushed and scratched his cheek.

"Yo," said the blonde nonchalantly.

"Hi," said Sasuke. He wore a humorless expression.

"You're early," said Naruto. Sasuke was dressed in civilian clothes. Naruto presumed he had changed at headquarters.

"I am," Sasuke responded, frowning. "Why is Kasai running around cackling like a lunatic?"

As Sakura smirked, Naruto shrugged. "_Your_ kid."

There was the soft pattering of uncoordinated footsteps. Sasuke poked his head out the door and caught the back of Kasai's dress just as she ran by again. He lifted her up, bringing her into the room, and holding her at arms-length to survey her appearance. A twitch crossed his cheek.

"I'm going to kill you!" said Kasai enthusiastically.

"I have to go," mentioned Naruto, zipping off, abandoning Sakura.

Sakura sighed at his lack of appreciation. She stayed behind, her smile unwavering. "Cute, no? She's more like you than you realize."

That's what he was worried about.

Sakura patted his shoulder and left as well. She would find Naruto waiting for her on the veranda.

Sasuke simply exhaled. He looked over Kasai again and wondered if she wasn't mocking him. The child struggled for freedom. "Death is emenent!" she declared.

His cheek twitched again. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Naruto utilized any time he spent with Kasai reversing the efforts of the elders to groom her into a proper heir. He claimed she wasn't being _herself_. Sasuke soon began to notice a division of Kasai's persona: a civil one, encouraged by Hyuuga, and a wired one, mostly reserved for Naruto. For the idiot to suggest Kasai was better off when she was bouncing off walls... Sasuke just rubbed his temple and hoped Naruto didn't have children of his own.

After hours spent cleaning Kasai up and putting her to bed, because sure, if she agreed to go to sleep there was a very vague possibility of them playing dolls together the next day, but not really, he collapsed in bed face down, and tried not to think about how messy the day had been in the interrogation squad, and the scarlet stains that had littered his uniform.

He needed to choose a successor. Someone who was two parts attractive, one part sadistic, three parts sane, and no parts merciful. He hadn't met anyone who fit the bill since Ino, and so he was stuck in a post that reminded him of all the things he had supposedly put behind him.

Sasuke drifted off only as his thoughts shifted to Hinata. He hadn't heard from her. He hoped she was all right.

Something roused him from his sleep some hours later. The room was dark, and there was another presence within it. Though there was no part of it that overtly alerted his senses, he was still keenly aware of it. He reached for his weapon behind his nightstand. This presence was unique; it couldn't have been anyone else.

In an instant, he was standing behind her. He struck her viciously with the hilt of his sword, causing her head to snap to one side.

As she fell through a strip of moonlight, he saw her thin frame, dark clothing, and bandaged eyes. But when she hit the floor...everything was different. Sasuke's lips parted.

"Hinata?"

A shadow slithered beneath the door. Sasuke quickly turned towards it. He ran out of the room, his crimson eyes darting about for the intruder. There was a shuffling noise coming from one of the rooms along the corridor. Sasuke approached it and slipped inside. He recognized the noise before he spotted the blade: the sound of metal sinking into soft flesh. Her ninjato glistened red in the darkness. She pressed it once again into her relative's chest.

"Niisan," Hanabi greeted him.

She was taller than she had been the last time he had seen her, but she was otherwise unchanged. She wore the same apathy, no trace of emotion crossing her face.

"I'm going to kill you," said Sasuke with the utmost sincerity. Electricity flickered along his arm.

Abandoning the weapon lodged in the elder's chest, Hanabi fluidly darted through the window he only noticed was open a second later. He stepped onto the sill and followed her into the night.

For several miles he chased her through the village and towards its heart, all her efforts to evade him rendered useless by his abilities. She darted from rooftops to trees, and between buildings, but her tact was no match for his speed. As he closed their distance, acknowledging what he had to do, Hanabi made the mistake of looking back. She stumbled, and he caught the front of her shirt. _"Chidori," _he hissed, collecting chakra in his hand.

His fist went through her abdomen, coating it in more of that sticky fluid he was so accustomed to washing off. His collar was splattered with blood as she released a ragged cough. Sasuke withdrew his hand and waited for her to collapse.

"Teme..."

His eyes widened and his face drained of color. Sasuke lifted his gaze from his handiwork to meet blue eyes rather than white bandages. "Naruto."

He caught his friend's shoulders as he began to fall forward. He held him up, against him. What was wrong with him? Sasuke trembled.

"It's nothing," said Naruto, sensing Sasuke's panic. Blood rolled down his chin, then along his throat. "I'll...heal..."

Sasuke deeply inhaled. "I thought – Hanabi-"

"It's okay Sasu... Open your eyes."

For a moment, he didn't understand what Naruto meant, before he was flooded with comprehension. Again, he inhaled, then expired, trying to clear his mind. It was then that he realized his eyes had been closed all along. He lifted his eyelids and everything was clear, the world becoming authentic in places he hadn't realized to be off.

"Who would have thought her genjutsu had gotten so strong? She did train under Kakashi, after all."

Sasuke distractedly shook his head. "My defenses were-"

"It's okay," Naruto reiterated. "I was on my way to see you. There have been some - events. But Hanabi explains a lot." The Kage didn't have the energy to elaborate. His jaw was clenched in pain.

Someone dropped from the sky beside them. Sasuke looked up at Sakura, her eyes filled with concern. She took Naruto from him, wrapping his arm about her shoulders. "What happened?"

"Hanabi," Naruto grunted.

The Uchiha activated his sharingan. "It won't work again," he said. He was abruptly aware that he had left Hinata at home, unconscious and defenseless, as well as his daughter and dozens of other Hyuugas. He took to the rooftops. There was no time to explain.

"Be careful!" Sakura called.

All that mattered was being fast.


	37. Interlude 11

**Author's Note: **As usual, thank you for your lovely reviews. 3 This chapter was getting too long so I broke it in half, so it looks like there will be one more interlude coming up. -sweatdrop-

**FAQ/Refersher:**

Throughout the story, the young versions of the characters are fifteen, whereas the older versions of them are twenty-five. Kasai is five.

Yes, Kasai has white eyes in the interludes. Her personality is somewhat different as well, as is her upbringing.

Hanabi sacrificed her soul to save her life during her kidnapping in Interlude 4.

To travel to the past, Mirai Naruto sacrificed his dream of becoming Hokage, Mirai Sakura unknowingly sacrificed her unborn child, Mirai Hinata sacrificed her love for Hanabi, and Mirai Sasuke sacrificed a large amount of blood with the intention of dying in lieu of having to sacrifice Kasai. The spirit initially requested from Sakura, her love for Naruto, from Hinata, her eyes, and from Sasuke, his daughter.

Inner Sakura refused to give "the man in white" anything, so he took what he wanted.

The jutsu that Neji teaches Mirai Naruto and the jutsu that enables the characters to barter with dead are one in the same, and all necessitate sacrifices on the part of the characters. As revealed in Interlude 10, this is a Hyuuga forbidden technique. The characters were able to travel to the past using this jutsu. To travel back to their time, they will have to use it again (as noted by Mirai Sasuke in recent chapters).

The characters become dazed or "hypnotized" when conferring with the spirits. They lose their ability to think clearly or even to properly recognize the person with who they're negotiating. Those with exceptions to this problem included Hanabi, Inner Sakura, and Mirai Naruto (only during his second time using the jutsu). Their immunities in these cases are for differing reasons which are explained in the story.

In regards to Hanabi's motives, you would have to refer to Interludes 4-6, and so on.

Timeline of Interludes: I'll use Hinata as a basis. Hm, Interlude 1 Hinata is 15. Interlude 2 she is 16 then 17. Interlude 3 she is still 17. Interlude 4 rewinds to her being 15 (Hanabi 11) and continues until Hinata is 17 and Hanabi is 13. In Interlude 5, Hinata turns 18. Interlude 6 starts with Hinata at 19, and ends with her at 20. Interlude 7 rewinds roughly a few days, but Hinata is still 20. In Interlude 8 and 9, Hinata is 20. Interlude 10, Hinata is 25 (Hanabi is 21, Kasai is 5), and the chapter leads up to the night before this story started. 1-3 are in Sasuke's point of view, 4-6 are in Hanabi's point of view, the last few interludes are mostly in Sasuke's perspective, but also shift to Naruto, Hinata, and other characters.

Anyways, I made a thread on my forum for The Chaos Theory questions if there's anything general you're curious about. I know this story is pretty complicated.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

_The sharingan could see a lot of things, often to the point of invading the privacy of others. It could see when Naruto sent shadow clones out for meetings and errands in his stead. It could see when Gaara did the same with sand clones in Suna. It could see when Kiba sent Akamaru out, disguised as him, for just such purposes. And most arbitrarily, it could see...the color of chakra._

_It was his twentieth birthday, and Mirai Sasuke had been duly rewarded. His wife was naked, straddling him, the point of a kunai poised at his chest. He awoke, and stiffened, then stared oddly at her. Abruptly sitting upright, he caught her lips with his, not caring as the weapon scratched him. Sufficiently distracted, Hinata dropped it._

"_You're still angry at me," Sasuke observed, his lips moving to her neck, sucking, kissing it._

_She blushed. "It's your birthday."_

"_Mmm." He appreciated her consideration. Sex for now. They could kill each other later._

"_Demo...we've been fighting all week. If we're suddenly getting along, the elders are going to know that we..."_

"_What does it matter? Sex is good." He returned to the mattress and idly examined her lovely hips, slim stomach, and full breasts. Her physique was flawed for a shinobi but perfect for a wife. Yes...perfect... He continued to drink it, greedily, when something bothered his senses. He activated his sharingan and stared at her abdomen to find a tiny flame of blue chakra enwrapped in her white._

_No..._

_...crap._

_Hinata failed to notice his sudden paleness. "Happy birthday." She smiled, leaning down to kiss him again._

**Interlude 11**

The members of team seven each had their demons – their benefits, their detriments, the power they offered and the humanity they leeched. Naruto had the Kyuubi, with who he endured a constant battle for control, Sakura, her inner self, the inhibitions it shed in lieu of recklessness and power, and Sasuke, Orochimaru's seal, his enticing reserve of energy meant to supplement his evils. The demons surfaced in their host's weakest moments, and brought with them an immeasurable pain and burden.

Unbeknownst to the members of team seven, their demons offered more than power, pain, and abandon. These demons fulfilled the requirements necessary to be invulnerable to mental captivation. Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto, with their demons, each had the potential to negotiate lucidly with the ones they met in the other realm.

It would be these three, in the end, standing together in their crueler forms. Sakura with a furrowed brow, Naruto with red eyes, and Sasuke with black markings decorating his left side. They would converse quietly as the man in white stood beyond them, wondering why they negotiated with each other rather than with him. He would watch as they exchanged promises, apologies, then farewells.

The exclusion was Hinata, who had no shields against captivation. Despite being a Hyuuga, she had never studied her family's kinjutsu, and didn't know how to confer with the dead. In fact, she wouldn't for another year or so. Hinata had no demons, and was more vulnerable than the others. She was the one they would watch most diligently.

At present, she lay on the ground of her bedroom, her hair splayed around her. She was still in her uniform, still weary from her long journey. Her clothes were dusty, and limbs scratched from twigs and branches. The shadows beneath her eyes evidenced her disinclination to sleep without her husband beside her.

She was concussed, and drifting towards the deeper end of unconsciousness, where she would stay asleep against her better judgment, and need a strong medic to revive her. Just when her mind had almost completely shut down, another's chakra pestered her subconscious. Her fingers twitched and her senses lashed out at it, teeming to be reunited with the one she had sought for so long.

Hanabi.

* * *

Kasai awoke as she heard her bedroom door creaking open. She groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes while looking around. It was still night time. "Otousan?" she asked, but received no response. Her eyes shifted to the door as a figure entered the room.

The lights turned on, not that it made a difference to her company. It was a woman Kasai didn't recognize, with bandages wrapped around her eyes. The child pressed her lips uncertainly.

Hanabi could sense her apprehension, so she smiled insincerely. "It's me, your aunt. Don't you remember? It's me, Hanabi." Of course there was no chance the child would remember her. It was just another part of the pretense for her plans.

The name Hanabi _was_ familiar to Kasai. It was a name she heard whispered at times, but never discussed openly. There were photographs as well, in esoteric albums in the basements and attics. Kasai slowly came to recognize her humorless face and her dark brown hair, but the Hanabi of the photos all had white eyes.

Hanabi crossed the room, closing their distance. She took a seat on the edge of Kasai's bed and pulled her into an embrace that was strange, and cold. "I'm so happy to see you again. You're special, you know."

_Special? _Kasai wondered. Arms at her sides, she remained unmoving in Hanabi's hold, her head cloudy from some residual sleepiness.

"Of course you know you're the Hyuuga heir? As such, you're the most important person here. You're the future of your clan, Kasai-chan. Your eyes are the future of Hyuuga."

Kasai bit her lip in unease. "Where's O-Otousan?"

"Don't be scared," said Hanabi, pulling back from her. "I'm the same as you." She offered Kasai her hand, and could sense the rhythm of her movements. The child shifted between fright and distrust, but probably had never been disinclined to trusting a Hyuuga. Slowly, she took it.

Hanabi allowed her fingers to glide up the girl's arm to her shoulder, her throat, her face, along the bridge of nose, then her brows. She was pretty. Hanabi held up her pointer and middle finger. "Don't move," she ordered.

And suddenly Kasai couldn't move. Her eyes wide, she had come to be frozen. Long vines encircled her wrists and ankles, drawing her flat on her back in a grassy field, where she faced a black sky and stared into it.

Hanabi stood and leaned over Kasai's form. The child lay still, imaginary binds keeping her in place. Her face a mask of apathy, Hanabi reached down to Kasai's eyes. "It'll only hurt for a little bit," she whispered.

"Don't touch her."

Hanabi paused at the sound of her sister's voice. She turned toward it, just as Hinata had intended.

"Hakke Hasengeki!"

A powerful pulse of chakra shot into Hanabi and sent her crashing through the wall. Hinata lowered her palms and hurried to Kasai's side. She pulled her up to a sitting position, but the child remained limp and lifeless. _Genjutsu._

She lowered Kasai and turned back to Hanabi as she began to climb up from the wood and plaster left behind by the attack. Hanabi grasped what was left of the wall, a scowl crossing her face. She reached behind her, grabbing a kunai.

Hinata reassumed her fighting stance. "Redeem yourself Hanabi. There is no need for this."

On the contrary, Hanabi launched herself at her. Hinata struggled to keep the fight away from Kasai. She employed the _jyuuken_ style, whilst refusing to confront why she avoided her sister's vital organs. Maybe Hanabi took advantage of her reservations. She left herself open, and Hinata hesitated.

Hinata replaced herself with a bushin where Hanabi's blade would have caught her throat. She backed away, but gasped as she felt the point of a kunai press against her spine. Behind her, someone took her shoulder.

"This is it," said Hanabi.

But the kunai suddenly burned and numbed Hanabi's hand. Her fingers twitching, she dropped it as she sensed another's presence in the room. She recognized it and was mildly surprised that Sasuke was already back from his manic escapade. "How did you break my genjutsu?" she baited him. "Aren't you helpless without the use of your eyes?"

"Let go of her," Sasuke responded. She knew his sharingan was activated without having to see it.

Hanabi grit her teeth. This would be trickier than she had anticipated. She wanted Sasuke and Hinata separated for her purposes, and wouldn't be able to handle fighting them both at once. Hanabi shoved Hinata forward, and as Sasuke received her, she darted through a window, anticipating that one of them would follow her. The other would not.

In her wake, Sasuke clenched his jaw. Hanabi tended toward leading others into traps, but he wouldn't be manipulated again. He released his wife and started toward the window, but Hinata caught his sleeve.

"Kasai," she said, indicating their daughter who was lying motionless.

Blinking, Sasuke approached the bed, where he came to understand Hinata's beseech. Kasai was trapped and rendered immobile by illusions. Sasuke leaned over to hold Kasai's gaze. His tomoe shifted and her eyes widened, her face filling with awareness as they did so. Sasuke turned his attention back to Hinata. "Stay with her."

Hinata nodded, and Sasuke took off after Hanabi. With his sharingan, he followed her chakra to the roof. Though she wasn't as fast as him, she could sense his movements with the ease of all her mentors. She managed to dodge his attacks aptly, but her attempts at taking the offence proved to be her failing. He body-flickered behind her and grabbed her hair.

"You killed Ino," Sasuke mentioned, as Hanabi grunted in pain. "This was the most inconvenient of your crimes. For you and me both."

She struggled until she felt electricity shoot through her skull and down her body. Her limbs resigning, she fell to her knees, but he kept hold of her hair.

Sasuke peered down on her head. Since the murders of his men in the Interrogation Division, he had mused about her purpose. Was it a personal assault on him? On the squadron as a whole? With her escape, the murders had seemed almost...petty. He wondered if she had killed Ino with a similar lack of care. It seemed only appropriate that Hanabi would fall victim to her technique.

His eyes glowed, and Sasuke did to Hanabi what he had seen Ino do to countless suspects in the past. The technique was an accidental prize of the sharingan's and he had never executed it before, but in a final effort to unravel Hanabi's motives, Sasuke dove into her mind.

He encountered her childhood, her father, her training with the byakugan. Her trump card – kinjutsu – Hiashi's death, then her capture. A cavern, and torches, a maze, a room. An instrument, her panic, a technique, and whiteness. Clarity, her mother...like Hinata...beautiful... An offering, then earth again, pain, blood, and blindness. Escape, crawling, darkness, and...crawling...

Though Sasuke's intelligence was considerable, as were his mental capabilities, even he lacked the emotional discipline necessary to perform the Yamanaka techniques. He drifted under the influence of the jutsu, his mind left shockingly vulnerable by it. It was different from genjutsu, and took a level of mastery practiced and perfected over a lifetime. He hadn't realized how overwhelming it would be, and he'd had no business attempting to use it in the first place.

Sasuke was dazed when he surfaced – foggy, and discomposed. Breathing heavily, he tried to reanimate himself, to _act_, but for the first time in his life, he encountered a profound, almost pathological – hesitance.

Hanabi recovered faster than he had. She hit him in the chest with several powerful strikes of chakra, assaulting his heart, and interrupting its rhythm. The organ staggered, and Sasuke dropped to his knees. As Hanabi fled the roof, he thrust out his arm, intending to strike her with his chidori blade, but his eyes widened, and he dropped to his side. He clutched his chest, where his heart refused to humor his desperation.

He struggled to breathe, and was failing. In a final effort to resuscitate himself, he sent a jolt of electricity through his chest, causing his muscles to contract and his jaw to clench. His heart beat twice, but again staggered. Sasuke dropped to his back, his eyelids lowering. It was the first of three times he'd die that day. And nothing was pleasant. Everything was dark.

* * *

She peered through the darkness and toward the Hyuuga house, wondering what madness was transpiring there. Sakura grinned as she clenched her fists and mused that she owed the Hyuuga brat a beating. Just before she could start forward-

"Sakura."

Her bloodlust diminishing, she blinked a few times and turned to Naruto whose presence always smothered her inner self.

As she watched Naruto continue to clutch the wound on his abdomen, Sakura returned to his side, pestering it with her healing chakra, but to her surprise, he pushed her away.

"No time," he said tersely. "We have to call for reinforcements and...and regroup at the tower."

"Naruto-"

"I'm fine," he insisted. "Go ahead of me and get started."

It was stated as an order, Naruto offering no fox grin or any efforts to reassure her. He simply watched her in all seriousness, as if daring her to protest. He was her superior before he was her husband, and as far as anyone knew, his word was law. Sakura stared at the blood still dripping from his mouth before curtly nodding and disappearing.

In her absence, Naruto sunk to kneeling. Taking a few harsh breaths, he bit his thumb to perform the summoning technique, and watched as one of his toads materialized beneath the palm of his hand. "Gama-chan," he greeted hoarsely. "I need you to relay a message to Kakashi."

* * *

Sasuke awoke to Hinata's more gentle chakra surging through his body and encouraging his heart to awake. With a weak variance of the jyuuken, she held her hands to his chest, stabilizing his pulse for a time. "Don't move," she said with a strained smile. She was knelt beside him, some sweat on her brow. Kasai peered at him from behind her waist.

Several careful moments he allowed her to monitor his heart beat, checking and rechecking, and he had no place to intervene. He stared tiredly up at the sky. He was hers, and if she ordered him not to move-

"Okay," said Hinata. She took his shoulder, helping him up to a sitting position. His body was rigid, and his limbs trembling, refusing to collaborate with his mind. His electrical impulses were all a mess from chidori but he would be back to normal again soon.

Hinata maintained her hold on his arm. She lowered her face against his shoulder as she quietly confessed her errs. She had gone easy on Hanabi, even at the risk of Kasai.

Sasuke bowed his head. "It's okay," he lied, not admitting his own falter.

Hinata pulled back from him, as though it was anything but the contrary. "She tried to kill you."

"She killed a lot of people."

"But she tried to kill _you_."

As Sasuke's capacity for mercy opened, Hinata's closed. Just like that, their roles had shifted.

Someone sniffed, and Sasuke looked up. He noticed Kasai's wet eyes as she meekly clutched the back of Hinata's clothes. "Otousan, are you okay?"

"I am," he responded, but she didn't seem very convinced. "Come here," he muttered.

Kasai hesitated, before running into his chest and burying her face in his clothes as Sasuke sighed. He wrapped one of his arms around her and rested his chin on her head.

Hinata pressed her lips and looked away. As she did so, Sasuke saw some blood on her temple, crawling out from beyond her hairline. He wanted to pull her down and kiss the injury he'd left there, but he couldn't bring himself to release Kasai. "The elders?" he said.

Hinata simply shook her head, still not meeting his eyes. They were dead then. He stared off as he tried to process it all.

Something flickered in the corner of his vision. Sasuke and Hinata looked off from the roof and down on the village, where a conflagration had suddenly erupted in its center. Billows of smoke rose up from the growing destruction. Was this Hanabi's doing?

He silently mused upon their priorities as shinobi. First was to protect the village. Second was to protect the Hokage. He suspected that stopping Hanabi would lead them to both. "It's not safe here," he said. "But we need to stay together."


	38. Interlude 12

**Author's Note: **Last interlude. I may continue to play around with it.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Interlude 12**

Sasuke encountered Hanabi again in the village square where buildings were recklessly being destroyed. Hinata stood several yards back from the two, Kasai latched to her back and mutely observing. Hinata would not become involved, just as Sasuke had entreated, though she bit the corner of her lip and still activated the byakugan to monitor the fight.

As Hanabi drew a fresh exploding tag in preparation of setting another building ablaze, two shinobi suddenly ran upon the scene. Through the darkness, Sasuke could see that they were jounin of Hanabi's age, and might have graduated from the academy with her. One was Naruto's apprentice – the Sarutobi kid – and the other was a comrade of his whose name Sasuke could not recall.

The two boys paused to assess the situation, but as they looked at Hanabi, something...happened to them. She lifted two of her fingers and urged them, calmly-

"Close your eyes."

As Konohamaru and Udon did as ordered, Sasuke realized the level of Hanabi's genjutsu.

"Behold," she said to her new comrades. "Your enemy." Hanabi nodded to Sasuke, facing him directly, almost as though seeing him beyond her bandages.

Pressing his pointer fingers together, Konohamaru made a clone. Sasuke watched as the two collaborated on a technique he knew all too well.

"_Rasengan," _saidKonohamaru, his long scarf billowing behind him.

Sasuke dodged the attack, and sent Konohamaru into a building that was subsequently damaged. He quickly searched for the follow up, which was reliably above him. He caught the clone's wrist and sent his rasengan to the ground, where it shot into the earth and reverberated for miles. The ground trembled even as the clone dispersed.

Sasuke turned his attention back to Hanabi, electricity flickering along his forearm.

He couldn't break either of the boys out of the genjutsu as long as their eyes were closed. Additionally, Hanabi was invulnerable to the effects of his sharingan because of her own blindness.

"_Chidori_ _Eisou_," Sasuke hissed, his chidori blade shooting out from his palm toward Hanabi. The Hyuuga abruptly grabbed Udon, shoving him in its path.

_Shit, _was all Sasuke could think as the blade pierced Udon's heart. Hanabi unceremoniously dumped him to the ground, her face remaining expressionless. Sasuke took a step back in a mixture of shock and horror.

Others were emerging from the darkness to take part in the fight, but as with Konohamaru and Udon, they quickly fell captive to Hanabi's technique. Their eyes widened, to subsequently lower, and they turned to face Sasuke with their fighting stances. There was a disheveled Iruka, and Kiba, who was still in his pajamas. Sasuke heard Hinata gasp behind his shoulder. He bit his mouth until it bled.

He heard Konohamaru begin to gather himself from the rubble adjacent to him, and saw Kiba prepare _gatsuga,_ so he decided to act fast. "Chidori Nagashi!" said Sasuke, wasting a considerable amount of chakra to electrocute the three nin standing before him. Snatching his katana from its sheath, he launched himself at Hanabi, when he suddenly froze. His hand opened, and the katana dropped. He stared down at the shadow that had come in contact with his.

Shikamaru stood some yards off, his eyes closed like the others. Sasuke's body had frozen, and he could do little more than listen to Konohamaru close in on him with his third effort at rasengan.

"_Suiton!"_ shouted Hinata.

A massive dragon burst up from one of the water drums standing nearby. It shot down on Shikamaru, crushing him against the earth before he had a chance to react. Just as Shikamaru's technique was released, Sasuke spun around and caught Konohamaru's wrist. He squeezed it until is snapped, the boy crying out in pain. As Sasuke watched the rasengan dissipate in Konohamaru's palm, his cursed seal burned behind his shoulder. He deeply inhaled, trying to rein his anger.

"Kamaitachi no Jutsu" shouted a female voice, and Sasuke felt a gust to wind approach. He braced himself for impact, but the attack wasn't directed toward him.

"Hinata-!"

His wife dropped Kasai beside her just as she was struck head-on with Temari's attack. She was sent smashing through one of the few remaining buildings, much of its debris collapsing on her.

Sasuke didn't have time to react, as Temari was following up with another thrust of her fan. He body-flickered to Kasai and grabbed her just in time to dodge Temari's assault.

Hanabi and the two nin flanking her were only just recovering from their electrocution. Trembling slightly, Kiba climbed to his feet. He grabbed Hanabi's hand, and pulled her up. Shikamaru reoriented himself as well. His torso was covered in bruises, and one of his shoulders were dislocated.

Sasuke lowered Kasai beside him as he decided he had to inflict enough damage to keep his opponents down, but not enough to kill them. He performed the hand seals necessary to execute _katon._

"Sasuke, don't!"

He looked back to see that Hinata had recovered. Covered in cuts and scratches, she pointed a shaking finger at Iruka. It was only then that Sasuke spotted the exploding tag attached to his back, behind his heart. As Sasuke surveyed his surroundings, he realizing that Shikamaru and Temari wore tags as well. He spotted other tags that outlined the perimeter, and he slowly lowered his hands.

"Too late," said Hanabi, as she climbed onto Akamaru. Kiba joined her, while Shikamaru pulled out his lighter with his good arm. He opened it. Flicked the switch.

With a combined roar of several dozen explosions, a ball of fire encompassed the area, and the shinobi there were swallowed in flames.

Sasuke didn't care about burns. Because of his element, he wasn't prone to them. His concern was with Kasai, who had no such invulnerabilities. He held her tightly, allowing his chakra to encompass her. When they were thrown several yards away from the battle, into some of the rubble of what had once been Naruto's apartment building, Kasai fell away from his chest, unharmed. She climbed up to all fours, and looked at him with concern. Veins began to form on her right temple, as though she wanted to see for herself that he was in one piece.

Sasuke was sprawled some feet away, ears ringing, singed but alive. Though he was inclined to lie there, swimming in and out of consciousness, he was reminded of Kasai, and all the others at risk at that crucial moment. He mechanically forced himself up to a sitting position, then bowed his head, arms trembling in his frustration.

He forced his mind away from worrying about Hinata, and instead he shifted to a kneeling position, clearing a spot in the ground with one of his hands. He brought his free hand to his mouth and bit his thumb. "Kasai-?"

She stumbled to him and attached herself to his side, but Sasuke's focus remained on the ground. He was currently under contract with the snakes, and didn't know if what he planned would work. In fact, he risked a reverse-summoning to the snake den, but as of that moment, he had few other options. _Boar. Dog. Bird. Monkey. Ram- _He performed five hand seals in a sequence he had used a hundred times before."Kuchiyose no Jutsu," Sasuke hissed, pressing his hand to the earth. A massive animal materialized beneath him.

"Taka," he breathed in immense relief as the hawk rose to the air and hovered there with them on its back. Sasuke looked down at Kasai, and paused at seeing her incomplete byakugan. It was the first time she had activated it, but he was too concerned to be impressed.

He took her shoulders and met her eyes with his sharingan. "Calm down," he ordered, his tomoe shifting. "That technique is going to drain you."

Kasai stared up at him as she was aggressed by his abilities. He would have never elected to use the sharingan on any member of his family, but these were extenuating circumstances. He watched the veins on Kasai's temple sink.

"I'll see you soon," Sasuke promised, releasing her. "Take her!" he called to the bird.

As the hawk bowed its head in understanding, Sasuke dropped from its back, and the creature took off through the night. Sasuke fell several dozen feet to the ground in a crouched position, before running off to rejoin the fight.

When he reached the village square, the radius of the destruction had extended considerably. He was relieved to see Hinata fatigued, but standing. Her arms were outspread and a cylinder of earth had been cleared in the rubble around her, evidence that she had used the kaiten to avoid the explosion. He closed their distance, startling her as grabbed her shoulders and pulled her forward.

Beyond them, Konohamaru had also managed to survive, though he was badly burned, and his clothing was in tatters. Kiba and Hanabi remained on Akamaru, beside the busted water drum where they had taken cover. Hanabi sensed Sasuke's return as he joined Hinata, but couldn't decipher their movements. "What are they doing?" she wanted to know.

Kiba frowned. "They're kissing."

Sasuke's turned back blocked Hinata from view. He held her chin and fed her his energy, until he was sufficiently satisfied with her chakra levels. He finished, but didn't part from her lips. Foreheads together, they watched each other with weary eyes.

"C'mon," said Hanabi from her distance away from them. Kiba barked an order, and Akamaru moved forward.

Despite the burned corpses that littered the streets, Hanabi had no shortage of minions. Neji, Tenten, and Lee entered the scene, each dressed as though they had been on duty upon spotting the chaos. As with the others, they were quickly taken by Hanabi's technique. Sasuke turned from Hinata, unable to comprehend it. If anyone, he had expected Neji to be able to fend off Hanabi's illusions.

"You're stretching you chakra thin," he noted to Hanabi as he faced her again. He moved forward, keeping a close eye on each member of team twelve.

Hanabi ignored his remark. "We will destroy the leaf," she said to her captives. "Let's start with my sister."

Sasuke moved in front of Hinata. He wondered why she had been spared from Hanabi's genjutsu thus far. Maybe Hanabi wanted her to bare witness to the destruction. Behind him, Hinata assumed a fighting stance.

"What do you want?" the Hyuuga head wanted to know. She moved past Sasuke to his immense discomfort. "Why are you doing this?"

Hanabi laughed. "I want you to feel what I feel. _Nothing!_"

"You feel something," Sasuke said, noting that Kiba had thus far been spared of injury.

Hanabi pressed her lips, remembering how Sasuke had stolen her secrets. He knew how she had lost the most important of her components, reduced to a living puppet whose soul had departed and would never find rest. He knew she indeed _was _petty and would take pleasure in their displeasure as all _their_ components were destroyed.

"Today, what will you lose? What will Konoha?" called Hanabi.

She was going to go after Naruto, Sasuke mused, as Hanabi thought on.

Maybe having white eyes again would garner her another meeting with the spirits. Maybe – Hanabi thought – with _the child's _eyes-

As if Hinata could read minds, it was then that she acted. Sasuke stiffened when her presence beside him disappeared.

Hinata reappeared several yards away, amidst their clutch of opponents, despite how quickly they could take her down. Snatching Kiba's ninjato from behind his shoulder, she slashed Konohamaru across the abdomen, and struck Kiba's back with the _jyuuken._ With the use of _kaiten,_ Tenten, and Lee were thrown away from her, but Neji dodged. Despite the risk of him intervening, Hinata leapt onto Hanabi, snatching a kunai from her holster and implanting it in her chest. She stabbed her repetitively just for good measure, until the entirety of the weapon was sleek with blood. Shaking violently, Hinata dropped it, but then the blood turned to muck. The figure beneath her melted into the ground.

It was an earth clone, Hinata realized. When had Hanabi managed to flee? Hinata's eyes widened as she felt someone's hand descend on the back of her head.

She could sense as Neji's chakra gathered into his palm in preparation of plunging into her brain. She squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation, when Neji suddenly choked, then collapsed behind her.

Hinata turned her head and stared at her cousin, who was prone on the ground, three electric senbon sticking out from the back of his skull. Static ran along their lengths for a few seconds before they dissipated, leaving blood to gurgle up through the punctures they left behind.

Hinata looked back at Sasuke, whose fingers were still outspread from his assault on Neji. He stood pale and motionless, the tomoe revolving slowly in his red eyes.

She turned again away from him as Tenten and Lee gathered themselves up. She raised her hands to her face and stared at the muck remaining on them with little awareness as the others began to close in.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was decidedly stressed out. An hour had passed since he had sent a toad out to alert Kakashi of Hanabi's return to the village, but he had heard no word from him, or from the messenger for that matter. He was having difficulty corresponding with his subordinates, in fact, he'd heard nothing from Konohamaru, nothing from the ANBU – his mission hawks went out, but returned to him empty-handed. And there was apparent discourse in the village square. The office windows lit up at a massive explosion in the distance.

Naruto turned to Sakura. "We have to get out there."

She nodded in agreement.

"It's okay," said someone at his office door.

Naruto turned towards it, and stiffened at who he saw.

"I came to _you_," said Hanabi.

Before Naruto could act, Hanabi was suddenly before him. A kunai shot into his gash, twisting, most tenderly. He grunted in pain as the wound was expanded, and only worsening as she pushed the knife more.

Even as Naruto was assaulted, his mind was encompassed with a fogginess. As his eyelids lowered, Kyuubi began to boil, but Sakura was the first to intervene.

She tore the Hyuuga away from him, and with a crushing blow, sent her crashing through the office window. As Sakura went after her, Naruto grasped his desk and tried to clear his mind.

In his solitude, his eyes became red, and he felt Kyuubi intensify its efforts to heal him. Breathing heavily, Naruto decided to attempt to re-summon the toad he had sent out for Kakashi. He bit his thumb, performed his seals, then pressed his palms together.

Nothing.

It could only mean one thing – that the toad had been killed. Naruto stumbled as the building shook, a crack forming on the ceiling and trailing along the wall. He grimaced. It seemed the fight had been taken to the roof.

Deciding that it was time to join it, Naruto climbed through the window, into the night, where he had a better view of the village. Even as he observed the ring of destruction, it continued to grow, creating a great scar on Konoha's face. There was another explosion on the horizon, and it was beautiful. Like fireworks.

His eyebrows furrowing, he climbed the roof of the tower, by which point both Sakura and Hanabi were bloodied and bruised. He was surprised to see Hanabi was holding her own against his wife, and interrupted them with a hoarse demand, _"Where's Kakashi?"_

Sakura swiped at Hanabi, who dodged. Hanabi reappeared behind her, and before she could strike her vertebrae, Naruto materialized between them. She cuffed Hanabi with enough force to send her stumbling back. The Hyuuga wiped her mouth, but did not seem profoundly effected.

"He's with Ino," Hanabi returned. "As well as Shikamaru, Temari, Udon, Neji, Konohamaru – and maybe Sasuke and Hinata by now." With her free hand, she tugged something free from her belt, then brandished a Konoha hitai-ate Naruto recognized. It was Kakashi's.

The Kage paled as the forehead protector was dropped to the ground. Hanabi again tried to lure him into her genjutsu.

Her technique explained why so many of Sakura's assaults had missed, and why Hanabi was left with so many openings to assault his wife. Regardless, the power of one of Sakura's blows was worth more than five of Hanabi's. Sakura stubbornly charged at her, but the girl again managed to dodge. The Hyuuga struck her abdomen, and Sakura noticeably staggered.

Naruto was distracted by the information Hanabi had supplied. She had claimed to have killed several of his friends, and many others, if the crater was any indication. Didn't she care that she had killed her former instructor? Her sister? His – brother? He stared at Hanabi and saw not a hint of remorse on her cool features.

Naruto's fingernails lengthened as he was submerged deeper in the diversion. Fangs grew in place of his canines, his whiskers darkening against his features.

He didn't care about Hanabi in the least. She was something he could deal with later. All that mattered was the village, and the damage there that needed to be undone. "Hold her off," he called to Sakura as he began to execute the technique Neji had taught him only recently. "Just a little...longer." He noted Hanabi's growing dominance, and the bruises that littered Sakura's body, but he did not allow it to distract him from the technique. Having Sakura was more convenient than having hands, or legs to walk on. He loved her too much to admit she was his second.

His eyes returned to the hand seals he had taken to, almost unconsciously. It was a complicated sequence of five cycles. It had to be executed with absolute precision, and the slightest error could deeply affect it. In the past, one sequence had taken him minutes to get right. He had practiced and practiced, till his hands ached, and he could do it in his sleep. Never had he expected he would be using it so abruptly.

Naruto was too absorbed with the task at hand to react when Sasuke dropped to the rooftop, worn, but very much alive. "Katon," he hissed, hitting Hanabi head-on.

Her screams echoed around him, but Naruto kept his focus on the technique. From the corner of his vision, he saw Sasuke take hold of Sakura as she began to collapse. Her fists were blackened from damage to her hands and her tenkutsu. Her face was blood streaked from a large wound on her head. Sasuke scrutinized her chakra with the sharingan. "You're a mess," he groused, as she fell unconscious in his arms. He continued to examine her, before pausing, and jarring Naruto with a single remark-

"She's pregnant."

For a fraction of a second, Naruto's hands froze.

He resumed the technique, but already, it had been changed. Naruto didn't notice as Sasuke blankly watched this altered sequence, allowing it to be programmed in his mind with a hundred others, nor did Naruto see when Hinata joined them on the roof, her child gathered in her arms. He didn't process how Hanabi climbed up in burns and rags, grinning at having the four of them together. He only thought about Sakura, her condition, and how he had let her fight so hard on his behalf.

It was okay. Everything would be okay. His hands dropping, Naruto looked up into the darkness of the night sky. Breathing heavily, he watched it slowly descend.

**Take Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata – and Kasai-chan.**

**I have to reverse this. You can have what you want.**

**I just want to save my friends. And Sakura.**

**Protect Sakura.**


	39. Uchiha

**Author's Note: **I'm not gonna lie, I don't know how many chapters are left, but probably five, which would include two epilogues.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 39**

_When Kasai encountered the man in white, she didn't open her eyes. She lay contently, in the warmth of several sunsets, the world around her was red, and burning, like _fire_. She knew that if she peeked, the flames would consume her._

_Someone knelt down beside her; greeted her with fondness. Suddenly his presence was everywhere. He urged her to make an offering._

_He said he wanted her _birthright_**.**__ Her identity, and her future as Hyuuga head. What wouldn't she have achieved in such a standing?_

_**Give me the byakugan,**__ he ordered._

_She had been born with the byakugan. Under the tutelage of the Hyuuga, she was meant to become great – to do _great things_._

_But stripped of the byakugan – not unlike her aunt had been – _stripped_ of the byakugan, she would be blinded in a way. Her life would take a significantly different course._

_Her father's traits would awake in its stead, taking dominance where before they had been suppressed. Igniting in her like _fire_._

_She would become volatile on the world – not cruel, but more trouble than she was worth. People would chase her power. She herself wouldn't know what to do with it. Without the byakugan, but the _sharingan_ – and without a father to guide her abilities..._

* * *

Her mother and father were dead now. Neji and Hanabi were all she had left.

So how could her sister be the person Mirai Naruto claimed her to be? A villain? A murderer? The reason for his traveling to the past in the first place? Mirai Naruto had even said she had killed his wife.

Hinata frowned as her mind drifted to the young Naruto. He had always been alone. She couldn't imagine the thought of him finding love and then having it taken away again. His wife must have been wonderful, whoever she had been.

Hinata absently stared at the rice ball in her hand. She was someone's wife now.

"What is it?" someone said.

Hinata looked up at Hanabi, who was watching her from across the kitchen table. Hanabi lowered her chopsticks. She was perceptive beyond her years.

"It's nothing," said Hinata, standing. Resigning her efforts to eat her breakfast, she left the room and walked outside. As she stepped onto the wooden veranda, which was damaged now and charred from recent events, her mind continued to be occupied by Hanabi, and the things Mirai Naruto claimed she would do in ten years time.

There was a familiar tug on her sleeve. Hinata glanced down.

Kasai was five again to her quiet bewilderment. Last time she had seen her, she had been nine or so. Kasai's age seemed to fluctuate, maybe some consequence of time traveling?

As Kasai became diffident under her scrutiny, Hinata offered her a smile she didn't realize to be motherly. "Are you coming with me today Kasai-chan?" Hinata said gently. She started off the veranda, Kasai predictably adhering to her sleeve. The five-year-old version of Kasai was far less intimidating than the nine-year-old one. Hinata didn't notice the way the child continued to peer at her.

"Okaasan?"

Hinata froze.

Unbeknownst to the her, kissing Sasuke had been the antecedent for a landslide of changes that would occur to her over the coming years, starting with the way she twisted her hair around the pointer finger of her free hand, at that moment, in a very absent, guilty way.

Hinata looked back down at Kasai. "What-? I-"

"Kaasan!" said Kasai, triumphantly latching to her waist and wrapping her limbs around her. Hinata struggled to breathe as her anxiety took hold of her lungs.

Kasai had never addressed her in such a way. In fact, she had never before recognized her to be her mother. Of course she and Mirai Hinata weren't dissimilar in appearance, but they couldn't have been more different behavior-wise. What had finally prompted Kasai's realization?

Kasai decided to release her, giving a strange, confident smile as she did so, and Hinata had no doubt that she would be addressed as "kaasan" thereafter. Her breathing thinned as her panic built. She still hadn't spoken to Kiba and Shino about any of this. They exited the gates together, this time Kasai leading the way.

"Tousan!"

Kasai seemed doubly excited at having the company of both her young parents. The young Sasuke was standing against the property wall, his eyes rising as he was addressed. Kasai released Hinata's hand and instead took Sasuke's, leaving the Hyuuga's feeling cool, clammy, and vacant.

Sasuke scrutinized Kasai, and as he did so Hinata knew that he too had taken notice of the ways Kasai's age had fluctuated. No one else seemed to perceive it besides them, and maybe their future counterparts. Not even Kasai seemed to realize she had been a nine-year-old only a few days prior. Why had it happened and what did it mean?

Maybe Sasuke had the answer to her contemplations. She watched a strange, almost uneasy expression cross his face, before he wiped it clean. "Let's go," he said.

The three walked off towards the training grounds together, Kasai continuing to cling to Sasuke's arm. Kasai gazed up at him in adulation though Sasuke seemed to take little notice of her. Hinata watched in silent awareness that Kasai seemed to favor him over her.

_It's because he's laid back,_ Hinata mused. Sasuke was surrounded by an aura of calm, whereas she was a nervous wreck. He neither encouraged Kasai nor drove her away, he simply went along with her.

Sasuke was back to ignoring her, but she was beginning to realize this wasn't a conscious decision. Sometimes he just got lost in his thoughts. It was...charming. She scratched her cheek and tried to drive her thoughts away from Sasuke's onyx eyes, and the funny way his hair stuck up in the back, but suddenly all her thoughts surrounded him, and she couldn't help wondering if this was a mystical _predisposition, _andif fate wasn't watching her, _guiding_ her thoughts.

And then there was Kasai.

"Hinata."

She looked up.

Sasuke regarded Hinata as they walked. She was breathing thinly, the way she did sometimes before she fainted.

"Are you-"

He didn't realize he was saying it until after it had come out.

"-okay?"

He hadn't cared about anyone since Naruto and Sakura – and certainly not in regards to silly things like _feelings_. But when he had found Hinata in the forest, he might have given her special priority over his teammates.

Not that she was someone who necessitated a particular amount of concern. Hinata was just...sensitive. And it would be inconvenient if she fainted right then.

She shook her head as if to say _no_, she was _not_ okay, and the corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched.

"What is it?" He didn't know why he pursued the matter, or what it was about her presence that he enjoyed. Though she hadn't noticed, her breathing had finally begun to deepen, purging the threat of her hyperventilating. Still, he watched her lips.

"Kasai," she managed. "She c-called me – s-she's been c-calling me-"

Sasuke understood. He remembered his own panic at being outed by Kasai. "What does it matter? They'll figure it out eventually."

Hinata blushed, but said nothing.

Sometimes Hinata was different. She drifted into a solemn, dreamy state, like during their first spar together, or when he took her back to his apartment after she was attacked. Beneath all the blushing, stuttering, and fidgeting, he had seen glimpses of her internal self. He wondered how long it would be until they got better acquainted.

"If you're concerned about them-"

_Them, _as in, their teammates.

"-finding out that we're married-"

Married and kissing. Married was one thing, _kissing_ was another.

"-I can...collaborate with your discretion..."

Hinata pressed her pointer fingers together. It wasn't that she was embarrassed about being with Sasuke, or being legally married, or being in a relationship or...whatever it was that was going on between them...it was just that she didn't think anyone would take it very well. There would be concern, as he was a recently reformed missing nin. Shock, since no one thought he liked anyone, let alone girls. More concern, because she was so timid and vulnerable. Scandal, because they were only fifteen and married, and it was all just so overwhelming.

And maybe she was a little embarrassed about kissing boys too. "I just...ano...have t-to figure out how to tell K-Kiba and Shino that we're...that w-we're..."

Kasai was looking from one to the next, oblivious of what was being discussed. If only Kasai wasn't there, Sasuke mused, he would have shown Hinata how discreet he could be.

When they reached the training grounds, Hinata quickly joined her teammates who stood a little away from team seven. Sasuke approached Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura, Kasai still attached to him like a strange growth.

"I want to be matched with Hinata today," he said.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. Only the day before the Uchiha had requested specifically _not _to be matched with Hinata. His student was being awfully inconsistent. "I have other plans for today," he said dismissively. "I've been made aware some of you haven't mastered your summoning techniques yet."

Naruto grinned, seeming contented that he excelled at something the others did not. Sasuke frowned, irritated that there was really nothing for him to achieve at this session. Kiba was looking pointedly at Sakura, who in turn was throwing him a rude hand gesture. Shino seemed all but interested in the matter, as he had a hoard to insects at his beck and call. Hinata was nervously twiddling her thumbs. It seemed that she had something to be achieved.

"Let's see it," said Kakashi, looking over the group.

Sasuke glanced at Kasai as she finally released him and wandered off to bother Akamaru. He was still curious of her talents with fire. Maybe he could tempt her to use them since she was there.

"Hey, teme," Naruto said, interrupting his train of thought. "I bet I could summon a bigger animal than you."

Sasuke glanced at his hand. If he summoned Manda, he would immediately try to eat them. Then again, he was faster than Naruto...

"Though I know you've been wishy-washy, making out with girls and all," Naruto chortled, causing Sasuke to clench his hand and Kakashi to glance their way, his interest officially piqued.

Ignoring the boys, Sakura dropped to her knees and began to practice her own summoning technique. "Boar...dog...monkey..." she mumbled to herself, seeming to have little confidence that she would succeed. The girl seemed to be distressed as of late.

Hinata decided to get started as well. Since Kiba already had Akamaru summoned at every waking moment of every day, he took to mostly coaching Hinata, his fists clenched as though he was watching a death battle. "Boar. Dog. Bird. Monkey. Ram!"snarled Kiba, calling out the seals as he watched Hinata perform them. "Okay perfect!"

Sasuke absently did his seals as well. He could do his summoning technique without even thinking. He mimicked Hinata, watching her, if just out of curiosity of what animal she was disposed to. Naruto took notice that Sasuke's gaze had drifted over his shoulder. He turned and observed Hinata as well.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu." She pressed her hand to the earth.

As Hinata disappeared in a poof of smoke, Sasuke abruptly realized her error.

"What?" said Kiba, waving his hands around in the space Hinata had previously occupied, as though he thought his eyes were deceiving him. "She got a reverse-summoning?"

"Maybe she did something wrong..." muttered Shino, though he himself had seen no errors.

"But doesn't that only happen if you're not under contract with the animal you tried to summon?" said Naruto, giving Sasuke a shaky grin. The two had experienced their fair share of reverse-summonings in their day.

Kakashi opened his hand, a contract materializing against his palm. He unraveled it and examined it closely. _Hyuuga Hinata._ Her name was right there. With his free hand he scratched his head, secretly baffled. If anything had been wrong with Hinata's seals, nothing would have happened, and if her chakra distribution had been _off_, she would have simply summoned a weak animal...like Sasuke over there. Kakashi paused to stare at the flimsy garden snake the Uchiha had summoned. Sasuke barely seemed to notice. He was staring off, frowning to himself. Kakashi's eyes shifted to Sakura who was glaring down at a pile of measly slugs. Naruto, meanwhile, had managed to summon one of his toad-relatives. This one was roughly was the size of an orangutan, and the two quickly became engaged in a tickle-war. Kakashi quickly diverted his gaze, alarmed that the blonde was the most competent of his students that day. Something was definitely up with them...

"Stupid contracts," growled Kiba, kicking dirt. "Hinata's probably on the other side of the country. It's gonna take her hours to get back!"

Sasuke was still looking away_. _He pocketed his hands.

Kasai had been extremely impressed by her mother's disappearing act. She stood with Kiba beside the spot where Hinata had been. Her sharingan activated, she had managed to copy the technique. Just as she began the seals necessary to execute it, Kiba caught her wrist.

"Not a good idea," he said gruffly.

Kasai squirmed for freedom. "But Jisan-"

"What did you call me?"

"Jisan, you're mean!"

"I'm not your uncle!" Kiba retorted, looking violated. He paused as tears pooled at the bottom of her eyes. "Wait...I mean..." Kiba glanced at Sasuke, who seemed all but interested in the matter.

"I'm off," he mentioned, stalking away.

* * *

He stood by the Hyuuga gates against the wall, his arms crossed and his eyes closed. He wondered if this would become a regularity. He ignored the sounds of all the footsteps that passed, before a particularly tired set stopped before him. The young Sasuke raised her eyes.

He looked over a fatigued Hinata. Her hair was tousled, her clothes, dusty, and she was covered in cuts and scratches. Sasuke became increasingly curious of what animals had summoned her.

Hinata was staring at him. "You waited for me?"

"Aa."

She predictably blushed. His gaze lingered on his cheeks.

"Y-you should come in," she said politely. Not waiting to see if he would accept or decline, she ducked into the gates, and Sasuke followed. He stopped her on the lawn.

"Let's try the technique again," he said.

Hinata's eyes widened. "But I – I d-don't-"

"Show me your contract."

Hinata blinked, but complied. The contract appeared in her hand in a poof of smoke. She handed it to Sasuke, her head tilted curiously.

Sasuke spread it out on the ground, examining her blood-written signature. "We have to fix this," he muttered, collecting some chakra in his pointer finger and burning away her family name.

Hinata blinked in realization. Her blush returned with might. "Right...ano..."

"Go ahead."

She bit her finger, not meeting his eyes. Where _Hyuuga_ had been written, she inscribed _Uchiha._

_Uchiha Hinata._

There was something very attractive about the way she wrote her name. They watched the contract disappear again in a poof of smoke.

"Try it," suggested Sasuke.

Hinata weakly nodded, still not meeting his eyes. Sasuke knelt down with her, holding her shoulder, as if he wondered if she wouldn't disappear again.

Biting her mouth, Hinata performed the seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu," she whispered, pressing her hand to the ground, and this time summoning an animal. Hinata smiled at her success and lifted her summons. "Nezumi-chan!"

It was a giant rat.

Sasuke quickly found himself several paces away. He decided it was time to take his leave.

Hinata noticed his reservations. "Wait, don't!" she said, stopping Sasuke in his tracks. "I'll get rid of him!"

"What?" snapped Nezumi in indignation, only to be dismissed by Hinata.

Sasuke slowly turned back around just as Hinata collided with his chest.

He stared over her shoulder as he was embraced by her, the connection intoxicating him, not unlike before. He drifted along in Hinata's warmth and idly glanced down at her head of dark hair. "We have to get you a better summons."

Hinata pulled back, seeming slightly embarrassed. She smiled despite it, pressing her pointer fingers together. "R-rats are no worse than snakes."

She did make a point. He brushed his thumb on her cheek. "You're not stuttering as much."

Her blush deepening, her gaze shifted to the ground. "Y-you should – a-ano, y-you should s-stay for d-dinner."

He didn't remove his hand from her face. He was slowly becoming obsessed with the concept of her being _his_. No one else had had her. No one else could.

"Un," he quietly consented, finally lowering his hand.

* * *

The dreamcatcher had disappeared with Kesshi, but Mirai Sasuke continued to evade his bad dreams.

He didn't dream of the future anymore. In fact, he didn't dream at all anymore. He didn't know why, and he didn't want to know.

Blood dripped from his fingertips. He was knelt on the ground, hunched over a scroll.

"What are you doing?"

Mirai Sasuke glanced over his shoulder. He saw his wife standing against the doorframe, watching him.

"I'm working on seals," Mirai Sasuke admitted. "For Kasai."

He was trying to recreate the seals the nine-year-old version of his daughter had had on her back – the ones that restricted her chakra-use to keep her from abusing her powers. After watching Kasai spar with Hanabi the previous day, he had become concerned about the extent of her genjutsu.

"Why now?" Hinata wanted to know.

"Why not?" Sasuke countered. He was meant to do it at some point over the next few years.

He could sense Hinata's suspicion. She walked across the room and knelt down beside him, observing his work on the scroll. Her eyes drifted over the complicated combinations of characters. "Naruto's good with seals," she noted.

**The last thing Naruto wants to do is help me.**

She could feel his frustration at such a physical and mental proximity. There was also a subtle...very subtle...anxiety that she knew not to be related to his task. His fingers shook slightly as he again reached down to the scroll.

"Here," said Hinata, stopping him. She touched her hand to his, dabbing her fingertips with his blood. She reached down and corrected a character. **I have dreams sometimes, **she told him, the telepathic bond creating an emotional intimacy between the two of them. **Everything's different, but everything's – good in my dreams.** She again mused about his absence in them, but dismissed it for the time being. **Hanabi's alive and well. Ino's alive. I think everyone is. Ano, except for Sakura-san. She's still... **she trailed off and the connection diminished. "You fixed Hanabi by saving her eyes-"

Little did she know, he'd saved her soul.

"-I think you fixed everything. It's just – Sakura-"

Hanabi no longer had the capacity for evil, Sasuke mused. Which meant Sakura was responsible for her own death. There was nothing they could do about it. "We have to start planning to go back," he said tersely.

"That's what you're doing, isn't it?"

Mirai Sasuke said nothing, but kept his focus on the scroll. He felt his wife wrap her arms around him, burying her face in his torso.

"Everything will be okay."

* * *

It was interesting, being in a family setting again. The Hyuuga elders treated him with a strange pleasantness, seeming impressed that Hinata had been so bold as to invite her new husband over for dinner.

The elders took a weird interest in him. They asked him about his training with Kakashi, the nature of his techniques, which elements he favored, whether he would become a jounin or join the ANBU, and other things.

In a home setting, Hinata unconsciously shed some of her previous insecurities and reservations, in lieu of a quiet contentment that was...refreshing. But then she would glance at him, and her anxiety would leap up between them, like a barrier.

After dinner was over and Sasuke had left, Hinata went to her room to change her clothes. She got dressed in a white nightgown that went to her knees. She kicked off her slippers and turned around to notice that her window was open, and Sasuke was sitting against the frame.

Her face turned red and she nearly fainted.

But Sasuke was paying her little mind. Idly he examined a kunai, his eyes reflected against its impeccable blade. "Meet me on the roof."

Hinata said nothing. She watched as Sasuke disappeared.

She moved dizzily to her bureau, leaning upon it and breathing heavily. She didn't know what compelled her to pull on her jacket and follow Sasuke to the roof. Maybe she was a masochist.

Maybe it was something else.

Sasuke was sitting on the roof, peering at the night sky and looking unimpressed. He absently jammed his knife into a spot beside him, between some panels, causing them to chip. He glanced up at Hinata as she timidly approached.

"You d-didn't s-see a-anything?" she asked in a panic.

"No." Sasuke raised his eyebrow.

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief and sat beside him, drawing up her knees. She froze as Sasuke took the hem of her nightdress.

"I'm your husband. I can see all I want," he mentioned. He tugged at it, but Hinata quickly squirmed away.

She was again flustered and red, and couldn't construe a response to that. She wrapped her arms around her knees and willed herself to implode.

Sasuke sighed. "Come here."

After several seconds hesitation, she slowly uncoiled. Hinata crawled to him, then Sasuke caught her chin, and they tried that kissing thing again.

Yes. Definitely a masochist.


	40. Love Slave

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 40**

The young Sasuke was not easily aroused. Even since puberty, there had been little that stimulated him, or inclined him to want to be stimulated. He'd look at Naruto's perverted behavior and ponder upon his own sexuality, or lack thereof.

And then one day he was kissing Hinata on the roof of her house.

Sasuke pulled back, feeling himself begin to respond in an inappropriate way. It was okay, he told himself. It was a normal physical response. He just had to cool down.

Hinata's lips remained parted, and her eyes, closed. She slowly opened them, blinking in confusion. "Sasuke?"

He took a deep breath and stared up at the night sky, trying to think of things less attractive than the girl beside him.

She predictably panicked. "D-did I do s-something to offend you?" she said, though _she _was the one who should have been offended. He watched her fidget madly from the corner of his eye.

"No," said Sasuke, glancing back at her, then pausing. His gaze wandered down from her face.

Her zipper had inched downward at some point in her twisting and turning, maneuvering just right to reap all the benefits of the kiss.

"No?"

He didn't hear her. Apparently he liked breasts. More specifically, he liked Hinata's. She usually kept herself completely concealed, but as of late, her guard was weakening around him. Even then, he didn't realize he was staring at her cleavage... Or how he mused that the other girls didn't have cleavage. The other girls barely had anything there. But Hinata...well...

"Your nose..."

Sasuke blinked and looked up. It was only then that he noticed his nose was running. He hastily wiped it and glanced at his armguard. It was blood. "Oh."

He experienced a moment of calm followed by an onslaught of horror. _He had a nosebleed!?_

Hinata was staring at him.

"I have to go," Sasuke mentioned, standing.

Hinata blinked. "Wait, don't-"

He dropped from the roof and disappeared.

* * *

The night passed before they met again.

The young Sasuke awoke earlier than he was used to...too early. A searing flood of daylight poured through his windows, invading his apartment, burning his eyes – making him wonder what had compelled him to crawl out from beneath his covers.

Right, it was whoever was presently knocking on his door. Clad in shorts and a t-shirt, Sasuke stalked towards it, expecting his visitor to be Naruto, because who else would have the nerve? He opened his door just slightly, glaring through the crack, and upon seeing who it was, his sleepiness evaporated. He opened the door completely.

Hinata seemed surprised by his disheveled appearance. Maybe she had thought him to be a morning person. "S-Sasuke-kun," she stammered, being overly polite again. "I w-wanted to apologize...about yesterday...you must be...something w-wrong...r-really sorry...more sensitive to your feelings, a-and..." She continued to ramble on. He tried to put together all the fragments of what she was trying to say.

His mind was foggy from sleeping. He rubbed the side of his head. "That's not it," he said, interrupting her. "It's..." he trailed off.

"What is it?"

_Your body._

"Please tell me!"

Sasuke grit his teeth. "You're very pretty," he mentioned.

Her face turned pink. "What?" she squeaked.

"You're – very – pretty," he repeated.

It was more of a complaint than a compliment. Hinata's color only seemed to deepen in shade. Sasuke bit his mouth and wondered if they shouldn't continue this conversation later. He observed her long lashes, amethyst hair, and ghost white eyes that he oftentimes mused about.

Though glancing away, Hinata persisted, "D-demo – what does that have to d-do with yesterday."

"What does it matter? Let's-" _What was it that Kakashi called it? "-icha icha."_

Maybe she was beginning to catch on to the fact that he was trying to embarrass her to death, that he had no intention of humoring her query, that he, in fact, sought to snuff it out. Though far from making demands, she remained where she was, pressing her pointer fingers so compulsively he was tempted to intervene.

Sasuke sighed. Every time she became even vaguely comfortable around him, something stupid occurred and drove her several steps back. "I don't think you want to know."

The fidgeting came to a halt. "Please, S-Sasuke-kun. I have to know when I'm d-doing something wrong." She looked at him with a perilous determination usually unique to Naruto.

Sasuke began to measure the benefits versus the detriments of closing the door in her face, but to his surprise, Hinata walked inside, bringing them closer whilst reinforcing her resolve. She reached out and took his hand, tentatively at first, a curious tremble about her fingers. Sasuke secured the connection, idly examining how delicate her fingers were compared to his. Was it wrong that he found enjoyment in her timidity?

She took a deep breath. "I'm n-not a child."

Yet she cried at the drop of a needle, blushed at a sneeze. She was so innocent.

"I'm your wife."

The fogginess was back. "I'm not trying to pressure you into anything. In fact, you're the one who's - insisting..."

Her confusion returned.

"Sometimes when we're kissing, I start to get..." And so he told her. Never in Sasuke's life did he expect he'd be discussing male arousal with Hyuuga Hinata, but odder things had happened.

He watched as her face drained of color. When he finished, she stood unmoving, not-breathing, and maybe regretting her persistence on the matter. He wondered if she would redden again, or turn green? Cry or faint? Run away?

He didn't expect her to attack. "Hakke Hasengeki!"

Sasuke grunted as his back connected with his kitchen counter. He eyed Hinata as he straightened, watching her walk forward.

"You're a...a..." She grasped for words when she stood before him.

"Pervert?" He pulled back her hair, enjoying as she blushed. "Apparently."

"Jyuu-"

He caught her wrist, jerking her forward, causing their bodies to connect, and then their lips. She sunk in his embrace, dizzy by then. She allowed him to kiss her all he wanted.

Hinata brought out traits in him he hadn't known to exist. He kissed her with a newfound greed, coaxing her lips until they parted.

But Sasuke slowly came to realize that Hinata was shaking. Even as he pulled back, the shaking persisted. She slipped like water from his fingers. "What is it?"

Hinata turned away from him and held onto the counter. "You think I'm p-pretty?" she said woozily.

"It's not a matter of opinion."

He said it impassively, like it was an indisputable fact. Sasuke wasn't a charmer. In fact, went out of his way to _not _impress girls. Her face burning, she was tempted to believe him. "I don't feel pretty. I feel dirty."

Sasuke's lips parted. He suddenly understood.

"When I was a-attacked in the f-forest, they – th-they tried to-" She bit hard on her bottom lip, unable to continue. "I d-don't want to push you away. I don't want anyone else to have it!"

Sasuke simply watched her. "It's mine," he stated.

Her eyes widening, Hinata abruptly turned back to him, but then quickly looked down. Her face reddened more, as though it was only then that she realized what she had said. "I – ano – I-I have to go," she said weakly. She made her way to the door, feeling Sasuke trail her, like a curious reaper.

Sasuke wanted to go after her, but refrained from doing so. He stood in his doorframe and pocketed his hands, feeling an incredible sense of impotence fill his chest as she left.

Maybe she didn't know it, but that night had left a burden on him as well.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was a great burden to Inner Sakura. The intensity of his presence possessed Sakura in her stead. With his blue eyes, maybe one day he would hold her captive.

Naruto and Sakura were meant to find each other at the age of twenty. At twenty, they would reach an emotional maturity that would scream the necessity of their relationship-

_...the logic, the perfection..._

But by twenty, Sakura would have had five years to abuse her body with Tsunade's seal. Between fifteen and twenty, Inner Sakura would have free reign, and Naruto would be none the wiser, busy with protecting the world, and not protecting Sakura.

He should have been watching over her, the way she watched over him. He should have looked into her eyes with the intentness of a lover and seen the discord running rampant about her mind.

But the young Naruto wasn't aware of her inner self yet. And Sakura was too young to realize the growing weight of her influence.

She hadn't noticed the times Mirai Naruto sedated her episodes. She had never witnessed the similar effect he'd had on his wife. Of Naruto, Inner Sakura was fiercely protective. To Naruto, she offered an irrational obedience. She was loyal to him above others. Above _Sakura._

The young Naruto threw her a cheeky grin that afternoon, not unlike the ones he would offer her over the next decade. "Ne, Sakura-chan, why are you staring at me like that?"

Blinking, Sakura lightly shook herself. "What? No I'm not," she said, looking away.

The two stood on their designated training ground awaiting the arrival of the others. Though Kakashi had never been to training on time in their three years under his tutelage, Naruto and Sakura still had the odd tendency to show up early themselves if only because it pleasured them to yell at him more than it frustrated them to wait for him.

Their time waiting together was usually spent exchanging sleepy looks. For some time they discussed ways of getting Sasuke back to Konoha, then, of late, it was back to tired looks. Usually Sakura's thoughts couldn't be further from Naruto's orange offensiveness, but she couldn't help that she was starting to notice things about him.

There were unnerving traces of Mirai Naruto in him. Traits that Sakura had paid little mind to for years were slowly overwhelming her focus – like how when Naruto was in need of a haircut, as he did presently, she could spot Mirai Naruto's attractive ruggedness in him. His eyes, though well-meaning, were showing the beginnings of mischief and mayhem. And sometimes his grin that wasn't docile, but tactful.

Sakura frowned to herself. As if Naruto wasn't bad enough, in ten years time he would be a complete nightmare.

It wasn't as though Mirai Naruto wasn't handsome, and powerful, and even...nice sometimes. But there was a cruelness about him that was so frighteningly unfamiliar. His eyes were knowing, calculating, and jaded.

As he watched Sakura ponder, Naruto's smile softened. Her unease had been almost tangible over the past few days, but he was used to Sakura's bad moods, and knew better than to pry. He wasn't intimidated by it. Never.

She seemed to awake from her thoughts and threw him a glance. "What are _you_ looking at," she countered.

Naruto shrugged. "You."

There was a rustling of grass as someone new entered the clearing. The two looked up to see Hinata and Kasai approach. At seeing them, the five-year-old broke away from her guardian and hurried over to Naruto, clutching something in hand.

"Oji, I drew you a picture!"

Naruto blinked and received the paper in Kasai's hand. Together, him and Sakura peered down at an amorphous blob of orange. It was, without a doubt, a portrait of the blonde.

"You drew me a picture? No way!" he praised, as Kasai grinned in a way that made Sakura wonder if the two weren't close in the future. "No one's ever drawn me a picture..." Naruto trailed off, before suddenly becoming racked with sobs. He proceeded to bury his face in the drawing, covering it in tears and mucus.

Her smile twitching, Sakura habitually patted the bawling Naruto on the shoulder. Hinata joined them, seeming quietly amused. Sakura noticed that Kasai's previously smug expression had become a glare. The child grinned like Naruto, but her glare made her look so much like Sasuke did when he was about to kill someone. Sakura was astonished to find that it was directed towards her.

She gasped when Naruto suddenly grabbed her, pulling her into his arms. A pillar of flames had erupted in the grass where she had been standing. Naruto's face suspiciously dry, he frowned at Kasai. "Hey teme, your kid's trying to murder Sakura," he complained, finally releasing the girl in question.

Blinking, Sakura glanced up to see that Sasuke had arrived, and taken to staring at the fire. Beside him, Hinata had wrapped her arms loosely around Kasai's neck and shoulders with Kasai's back to her. But what difference did it make? She had executed no hand seals. She had only used her eyes. Sakura watched Kasai deactivate her sharingan.

After the initial burst, the fire had sank to a natural height, and Naruto took to stomping upon it whilst cursing, as though it shared responsibility for the assault on Sakura.

Hinata turned Kasai to face her. "You shouldn't attack your friends," she said, placing her hands on her hips.

"Not all of us are flame-retardant," said Sasuke. He had seen Kasai throw similar attacks at her father, who had been unaffected. Maybe she thought everyone was immune. The young Sasuke absently wiped her cheek with his thumb wondering who had given her ice cream so early in the day.

Sasuke and Hinata paused and glanced at each other, before quickly glancing away again. Both lowered their hands, resigning their absent gestures. Naruto and Sakura were too distracted to notice.

The fire had become small in size, but Naruto was still battling away, though only seeming to exacerbate it. Sasuke would have blamed his being a wind element if he wasn't witnessing his incompetence first-hand.

Kasai was frowning to herself at being scolded by the lenient versions of _kaasan _and _tousan_. She was starting to realize that having two pairs of parents wasn't that great of a deal after all.

The fire was finally out. Naruto hobbled over, covered in burns. "Anyway, it was a great picture Kasai. Sorry it got burned... But thank you so much!"

The child beamed.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. It was typical of Naruto to have implausible mood swings, to go from scolding to praising an ill-behaved child, sometimes, from battling, to hugging mortal enemies, and so on.

She twitched again at realizing that first the future visitors had told her she was going to die. Now one actually _was_ trying to kill her, and for something so ludicrous as Naruto's approval.

Just before she could start pulling out her hair, Kakashi appeared, looking vaguely entertained, like maybe he had been there for longer than they realized. Sakura would have told him he was late, but didn't have the strength anymore. She ignored as Kiba and Shino arrived, looking confused, and muttering questions to Hinata about the charred Naruto.

Sakura was matched against Naruto that day. The two spent the afternoon exchanging swipes, but never bothering to make them connect. It was like a dance between them. They were so used to sparring together, they knew how to fake it. Why would they ever want to fight for real? Why would she _ever _want to hurt Naruto?

_We'll save our strength for next time we fight with that "freakshow,"_ she thought, smiling to herself as she remembered the way Naruto had referred to his own counterpart.

Mirai Naruto and his...cruel claims. What did it matter if she died? For Konoha-

Always.

He seemed to care about it more than she did. Despite that she was terrified. Traumatized. "You know you're crazy," she called out to the young Naruto.

He faltered, and one of her cuffs actually hit. He flew back but regained his footing. "What do you mean?" he called back, frowning petulantly.

"Your future. Mirai Naruto. You're completely insane!"

He shrugged dismissively. "So are you."

In a part of the surrounding forest, Sasuke and Hinata were immersed in their own spar...or what was supposed to be a spar. Hinata took the offensive with an onslaught of distracted strikes, each of which Sasuke expertly blocked, never straying from the defensive himself.

Hinata was ridden with nerves. They hadn't spoken since that morning and their awkwardness was overtaking their efforts to train.

She stepped back, panting, both maintaining their fighting stances, before she lunged at him again, but instead of attacking, she caught his shoulders. She leaned on her toes, and kissed him, once, before pulling back, embarrassed that he had not responded.

"Hinata." He grabbed her wrist.

They kissed again, this time with mutuality. Sasuke caught her waist with one of his arms, but she impulsively stiffened at this additional contact.

"It's all right," he muttered against her lips, urging her to relax, and she tried.

That's when Naruto strolled by in search of a kunai he had thrown in that direction. He froze at seeing them. Sasuke and Hinata quickly separated, all three blushing and staring at one another.

But Naruto's blush built and built, until he looked like his head might burst from blood rush. He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. "You – you two were-!"

Sasuke suddenly caught Naruto in a headlock. He covered his mouth and began to drag him away.

Hinata blinked. "Where are you-?"

"He's going to explode," said Sasuke.

"W-what-?"

"Ja."

Hinata blankly watched as Naruto was dragged deeper into the forest, grunting and struggling all the while. When they were gone, Hinata lightly shook herself, and walked off in the direction of the training grounds. She futilely tried to smother her mortification. Sasuke hadn't had to have been so rough with Naruto...and to dismiss her so abruptly...but mostly he had been quite rude to Naruto – even if Naruto _had _seen them, and there was a slight risk of his head exploding into a billion bloody bits.

Smoldering in indignation, she continued to walk, while musing again over the curt "ja" Sasuke had thrown her in parting. As she exited the woods, she saw that the others were waiting. Kakashi raised a brow and inquired about the whereabouts of Naruto and Sasuke.

"Ano – th-they went off together." She blushed at the odd looks she was receiving, and tried to convince herself to continue. Naruto had _seen _them, after all. The others would find out sooner or later. "S-Sasuke-kun and I...w-we, um..." Hinata didn't notice as she resumed her newest habit of twisting her hair about her pointer finger.

Kasai tilted her head in concern. "Kaasan?"

A silence fell over the group as the others realized what the child had said. Hinata's teammates had been mentally prepared for such a scenario, but were still stunned by the confirmation of it. The silence continued, becoming almost eerie. No one said a word, no one even breathed.

Except for Kakashi, who smiled.

"It's t-true," said Hinata. "W-we belong together." Red as she was, she might as well have declared Sasuke her love-slave. Thinly breathing, she forced herself to go on. "In fact, we're – married."

* * *

"It's a paper marriage," the young Sasuke explained what he had failed to during his visit to Naruto's apartment. "Our future selves don't want us to fuck everything up," he said with as much eloquence as he could muster.

The two sat across from each other in Sasuke's tidy living room. The Uchiha remained aloof while trying to read the blonde's stunned expression.

Naruto was staring off. His eyes returned to Sasuke's dark ones. "It didn't _look_ like a paper marriage," he mumbled.

He saw a flicker of embarrassment cross Sasuke's face, then disappear just as quickly. The corner of Naruto's mouth curled slightly.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. It was one thing to explain his increasing sexuality to Hinata, but another thing entirely to explain it to Naruto. He didn't understand it himself. It was like Hinata had flicked a switch in his mind and awoken a secret part of him that had lain dormant for the past fifteen years. "We get along," he said, attempting to sum up their relationship with four hasty syllables.

As with anything Naruto approached, the severity of their conversation dissolved to putrid mush and vomit. "So when are you guys going to _do it?_" he wanted to know.

Sasuke suddenly regretted bringing Naruto back to his place. If he tried to physically remove him, everything would be destroyed. The one time Sasuke had left him there alone, it had been reduced to the state of the blonde's junkyard-apartment upon his return five minutes later.

"_Really_ teme, I can help set the mood. Some music, some flowers, some _ramen_-"

Sasuke found himself alarmed by these suggestions. "Your services will not be necessary-"

"C'mon Sasuke, when's it gonna happen?"

By Naruto's jovial expression, Sasuke could tell he was being baited. His mind working, he decided to turn the tables. "_Ne, dobe,_" he mocked."What about you?"

Naruto blushed. "What?"

"You still don't have a girlfriend. I don't get it."

Naruto leapt to his feet and pointed an accusing finger. "You just got one! Don't get cocky!"

"I see the way girls look at you."

"What girls?" Naruto was astonished.

"...must be gay or something."

"You should talk!

Sasuke's eyes widened as Naruto bristled. Just before the blonde could tackle him in an overly sexual way, Sasuke stood as well. "Wait," he said, racking his mind. "Let me make you some ramen."

In an instant, Naruto's hostility melted and his face lit up. Sasuke's cheek twitched, and he wondered if this was what parenting would be like.

Stalking to the kitchen, he grabbed the kettle and dumped the not-hot-enough water into two cup ramens. He kept a bunch of them on hand for just such occasions. Hastily sticking some chopsticks into the cups, he returned to the living room, passing one to Naruto. The two sat down and ate in silence, Sasuke eying him all the while.

"Thanks teme," said Naruto, slurping obnoxiously.

"Un," said Sasuke, weary.

"_What girls?"_ Naruto wanted to know.

"Sakura," he said simply. There was another pause, and Sasuke glanced up from his long bangs to see that Naruto was blushing. The blonde scratched his cheek and blathered no further, finally beginning to realize the intimacy of such matters.

"R-right."

* * *

Amongst their counterparts, distrust sank then arose, stubborn like flames.

They stood at Mirai Sakura's unmarked grave site, Mirai Sasuke to accept her death and Mirai Naruto to scheme her revival, little did the other know. Sasuke grasped Naruto's shoulder, and he stiffened.

"Hanabi killed Kakashi you know. He was the closest to you, even after everything you did."

Mirai Sasuke said nothing. He wanted to save Sakura as well, but Tsunade's seal was like a death warrant for her. She was just too unstable.

"You never cared about her. How could you just let her go?" said Naruto hoarsely.

Mirai Sasuke clenched his jaw.

"What if it was Hinata? Or Kasai?"

Sasuke's mind wandered. He would go through hell and back for either of them. He would give his life, and everything else. He had no doubt that he would kill Hanabi on a whim that it would revive them. He was unnerved by this realization.

"**Bastard,"** said Naruto, seeing the revelations in his eyes. He shoved past Sasuke and walked off. He looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept in a while.

Sasuke stared at the retreating uzu on Naruto's back until he disappeared into the forest. In his absence, he knelt down, musing over the patch of soil.

He was so certain that Hanabi's losing her soul had been the antecedent to her cruelty. But what if he was wrong? What if she had been evil all along?

"Sakura..." he heard himself mutter aloud. Obscure as it was, could this be a gamble on her life? What if he was at fault for her death?

He remained there, staring at the earth, turning it all over and over in his mind. If Mirai Hinata had seen him, she might have thought his blank gaze wasn't dissimilar to the one he had worn when Neji had died.

* * *

At the Hyuuga house, Uchiha Kasai was tucked safely in her bed surrounded by relatives in the surrounding corridors and chambers.

Regardless, she tossed and turned. All her dreams were bad ones.

She lashed out with her chakra, producing a single, orange flame. It stood solitarily at the top of her bedpost, before spreading, and descending, circling her like her anxieties. It was her worst dream yet.


	41. Family

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 41**

Breathing heavily, Mirai Naruto gazed at the ceiling and tried to figure out what had awoken him. Absently, he reached out to the spot beside him, but his hand only made contact with the unoccupied sheets there. He released a sigh. _Force of habit._

Turning onto his side, he closed his eyes, ignoring the sweat across his brow. Waking up in the middle of the night wasn't something to take lightly. He was sensitive to the waves of chakra around him, if just slightly moreso than the average shinobi. It felt like...Kasai.

_What's she doing up?_ he wondered irritably. **Teme... **Mirai Naruto waited, but there was no response from the other end of their telepathic connection. Maybe Sasuke was sleeping. **Hinata? **Again, he waited, and received no response. He clenched his eyes closed, determined to go back to sleep.

Another strong wave. Naruto's eyes snapped open. He climbed out of bed, unclothed except for a pair of slacks.

When he walked out into the hallway, he spotted Kasai's room immediately. The door was open, and from it shone the dancing orange of a conflagration. What stunned Naruto the most was the small figure standing before it, her skin glowing under the light of the flames, her hair billowing back from the intensity.

"Don't-!" Naruto started.

But Hanabi walked into the room and disappeared into the fire.

Racing down the hall, Naruto hurried after her into Kasai's room. He couldn't avoid the flames, like someone smaller, or faster. Instead it licked and ate his skin, causing him to grunt in the pain this caused. He looked around for Kasai as he walked deeper into the room, forearms crossed over his face to protect it from burns. He made his way towards the bed, which was blackened and slowly deteriorating. His skin was littered with growing, bloody patches, but as he spotted Kasai's sleeping form, he saw that she was unscathed. Just as he began to approach her, Hanabi appeared out of nowhere, with her family techniques easily navigating about the room. She was sweaty and panting, but wearing only superficial burns and scratches. She began to reach down to collect Kasai, but Mirai Naruto intervened.

"Don't touch her," he growled, impulsively striking her. After she collapsed, he stepped over her, grabbing Kasai by the shoulders and shaking her.

As Kasai opened her eyes, the flames shrunk, and diminished, as did Naruto's burns, and Hanabi's scratches. "Oji?" Kasai asked, faintly. But then her pupils rolled upwards, and she fell unconscious again.

"Naruto."

Mirai Naruto turned away from Kasai to see Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata standing in the doorframe. As they walked inside Hanabi began to arduously climb up from the floor.

"Genjutsu. This time in her sleep," said Naruto wearily.

Activating the byakugan, Mirai Hinata regarded her daughter. "She needs a medic – now."

Deeply breathing, Naruto said nothing. He watched Sasuke gather Kasai up, scrutinizing her with his own bloodline limit. "Naruto," he started.

"Go," Naruto interrupted. "Take her."

Sasuke threw him a glance, but nodded, and left with Hinata. He didn't even spare the time to acknowledge Hanabi, who had a large bruise growing across her temple. Had he given up on guarding her? Would he no longer care what happened to her?

Deeply inhaling, Naruto turned to the girl in question, realizing that Sasuke had finally given him the clearance to kill her. He didn't know why he opened his mouth to speak, but just as he did, Hanabi folded down. He at first thought she was injured, or going to be sick, but in actuality, she was – bowing.

"You're the leader of your group, aren't you? You're – important in your time. Ne?"

As always, her insight unnerved him. Even without being tortured, having her eyes gouged, or training under Rokudaime, she retained a level of aptitude that would grow and meld with cruelty.

"I'm sorry," Hanabi said, tiredly grasping her knees. "I put both of us in danger. I didn't realize it was genjutsu. That was reckless of me."

Lips parted, Naruto could only stare. Hanabi stood in her nightclothes, long hair hanging down and concealing her face. In all his years of studying her, remorse was the one thing she couldn't demonstrate, or even fabricate. Not under threat, not beaten, not bruised, not at knifepoint, not at the brink of death. Remorse was something of insignificance to the Hanabi he knew, and he had never seen her express it, vocally or otherwise.

It was what had always differentiated her crimes from Sasuke's in his mind. It was why Sasuke had been sealed to the village, while she had been incarcerated and sentenced to death.

Folding her arms against her, Hanabi remained as she was for a long while, feeling Mirai Naruto glower down on her bowed head. She trembled as he poured an irrational hatred that filled the air. When finally, she could take no more of it, she lifted her head, stunned to find he was gone.

* * *

The young Sasuke had spent the night curled up on his couch, trying to sleep through Naruto's nasally snores.

"Sasuke?"

It was morning time by then, but he wasn't a morning person. He ignored Naruto's words, instead attempting to suffocate himself with a pillow.

"Whose hitai-ate is this?"

Sasuke lowered his pillow and opened his eyes to see a forehead protector dangling over him. The familiar scent of freesia pestered his senses. "Mine," he muttered.

"Yours is there." Naruto pointed at a hitai-ate lying on the coffee table.

Sitting up, Sasuke attempted to grab the hanging forehead protector, but Naruto quickly snatched it away.

"This counts as ninja identification. Who would forget something like this?" A quizzical expression crossed the blonde's face.

_Who else? _Sasuke wondered, thinking of his scatterbrained wife.

Naruto continued to scrutinize the hitai-ate, when he blinked, and his eyes shifted back to Sasuke. "So it's Hinata's!" he said, hoping to embarrass his friend, but the Uchiha's annoyed expression was unchanged. Naruto frowned at realizing Sasuke was growing immune to his antics.

"Yes," said Sasuke, as he stood and held out his hand. Naruto reluctantly handed the hitai-ate over, watching Sasuke neatly fold the bands. "It must have fallen off when we were..." He strangely trailed off, as though catching himself from saying something he wasn't supposed to.

Naruto smirked at Sasuke's hesitation. He was happy to see he was still an amateur at _some _things.

"When we were talking," Sasuke finished, awkwardly. It sounded incredibly unconvincing, like he had chosen one of several ad-libs to stick at the end of his sentence.

"Of course," responded Naruto, still smirking.

The two boys had spent most of the night conversing, fighting, and eating ramen. As they looked at each other that morning, both came to realize that neither had acquired the amount of sleep necessary for attractiveness by daylight. The two eyed each other for a moment, before turning away and beginning to get ready for the day. As Sasuke changed the drool-stained sheets and pillow cases on his bed, Naruto went to the bathroom and borrowed his toothbrush. Just after Sasuke had pulled on his clothes and ruffled his hair enough to ensure that it stuck up in the back as ludicrously as possible, he heard a knock on the door.

"I got it!" said Naruto, springing out of the bathroom in just a pair of orange briefs. Whether it was his apartment or someone else's, he was always grateful to have guests. He swung open the front door, and released an enthused, "Hinata-chan!"

Sasuke glanced up from putting on a sandal. Hinata stood in his front door facing the bronzed, muscled, half-naked Naruto who was absently scratching his crotch even at that moment. Sasuke's cheek twitching, he was prepared to watch Hinata collapse in a dead faint, but to his surprise, she barely seemed to register the atrocity standing before her.

"Can I speak to Sasuke-kun?" she said, as always, being excessively polite.

Sasuke approached the duo and shoved Naruto aside. "Hi," he said to Hinata.

"Hello."

They always seemed to start mid-conversation. Never had they greeted each other so...normally. Would this become normality? Sasuke glanced at Naruto, who was struggling into a pair of pants. "Come in."

As Hinata entered the apartment, Sasuke noticed that another Hyuuga had been standing behind her. She was small and thin, and looked to be around eleven. She followed Hinata closely, casting him a wary eye.

"Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, this is my little sister, Hanabi."

Right. The sister. He remembered her from dinner at the Hyuuga house. "It's nice to see you," he said neutrally.

Hanabi was still watching him cagily. "I already know him," she mumbled to Hinata. "He's my sensei."

Sasuke raised his brow, trying to make sense of this, when Naruto joined them, clarifying:

"You're training under Mirai Sasuke, ne?" Naruto smiled and nodded amiably to Hanabi. "You must be really lucky to get one of our counterparts to choose you as a student." His face broke into his usual grin.

But the girl disagreed. "He's crooked, and weird, and he's always late!"

Hinata stared at Hanabi in astonishment. Few things roused that kind of enthusiasm in her. She wondered if she didn't like her new sensei.

"And also – he's mean! All the counterparts are mean!"

Naruto frowned at the younger Hyuuga. She was clearly frazzled about something. Hinata quickly grabbed her sister, silencing her ranting. "Please forgive Hanabi! She doesn't m-mean what she says."

"Hey, don't worry about it!" Naruto waved his arms dismissively.

As Naruto and Hinata launched into more excuses for the impudent girl, a muscle twitched under Sasuke's eye. Hanabi described his counterpart almost the way some might depict Kakashi. "Come sit down," he deadpanned, his tic persisting.

As Hinata and her sister took seats at his small kitchen table, the shirtless Naruto bustled about, pouring them all hot cups of ramen. It was odd...this quasi-family scenario. And yet it was his life now.

Sasuke took a seat. "What's wrong?" he said to Hinata, despite how Hanabi ogled him, and Naruto glanced their way. It was another of those marital sentiments he was getting accustomed to. Hinata, with her abundance of _feelings_, required constant comfort or else she did weird things in rebuttal – like blushing, stuttering, fidgeting, and making his nose bleed. It was better to see her in a sinister light than facing the fact that he might actually care.

"K-Kasai was hurt last night," Hinata told him. "There was a fire – I d-don't know all the details. Hana's pretty shaken." She nodded to her sister who, with her blank stare, seemed the exact antiphrasis of "shaken."

"Is Kasai all right?" said Sasuke, who had gotten caught up on that one detail. He didn't notice how his reluctant concern for Hinata had shifted to a blatant one for Kasai.

"She's still unconscious, as far as I know."

"Oh..." said Sasuke, his eyes shifting to his mug. He didn't know to what he could attribute his sudden nausea, but maybe he'd had his fill of the broth.

"You c-care about her, d-don't you?"

What an unusual inquiry. It was on this matter that he and Hinata could truly relate...and yet it was a difficult question for him to answer. Kasai didn't feel like a daughter to him. She was more like a little sibling or pet or something.

"I barely know her," he heard himself say. Sasuke felt three pairs of eyes focus on him. Even if the two Hyuugas didn't understand it, he knew that Naruto would. Kasai was a symbol of what his life would _become_, but he had little comprehension of it now. Still, she was an unbidden...constant to him now. Unreal as she was, she was the most tangible presence in his life at that moment. She was his only blood relative in existence. She was what connected each one of them in that very room.

Sasuke looked up as Hinata stood. She was looking down at the floor, like she thought he couldn't understand the frustration she felt over Kasai.

But he did. "You dropped this," said Sasuke, as he walked her to the door. Hinata turned back to him to see that he brandished her hitai-ate. She had no time to protest as he wrapped it around her neck, pulling back her hair to secure it behind her. She blushed under his attention, and under Naruto and Hanabi's scrutiny. When Sasuke finished, her sister cocked her head to one side.

"Are you two a couple now?"

There was a pause.

"Un," said one as other said "Iie."

As Sasuke blinked, Hinata reddened more. She quickly looked away from him. "We're j-just f-friends, Hana," she mentioned, trying to leave, but Sasuke caught her hand.

"Friends," he echoed, kissing her. As he pulled back, he noticed the way Hinata's eyes were squeezed shut, her arms drawn up as though braced for an attack.

Slowly she opened her eyes, averted her gaze, and mumbled a parting. Again she attempted to go, detaching her hand from Sasuke's only after several failed attempts, then grabbing Hanabi's and dragging her off. She could feel Sasuke's narrowed eyes on the back of her head, but pretended not to notice, breathing only after she had turned a corner.

She relaxed somewhat, scratching her cheek.

"So you _are _a couple?" Hanabi pressed for clarification.

Hinata shrugged, hoping she didn't look as flustered as she felt. "It's a p-paper marriage for now, Hanabi. We'll do more with it when w-we're a little older." She winced at the awkwardness of her wording.

"More?" Hanabi pressed. She revealed no pleasure at her sister's discomfort, then again, Hanabi was a stoic at best.

"L-living together. Having children. T-things like that." Hinata feigned a smile to hide her nerves.

"Hm."

As they exited Sasuke's apartment building, Hinata's eyes lingered on the fresh bruise on Hanabi's head. It covered her left temple and parts of her forehead and brow. A training injury, Hanabi can claimed.

"You can tell me anything, you know."

"So can you."

She made a good point. Hinata sighed. "I would never hurt you."

Hanabi looked up, confused by this remark.

"I love you," said Hinata.

It was that relentless, stupid, detrimental love, one that was contagious, because even Sasuke would pick it up one day. It was assurance that Hanabi could do no wrong. Clearance that she could destroy the world ten times over, because with a soul or without one...

She was her sister.

* * *

Mirai Hinata was sitting in the chair at Kasai's bedside. Mirai Sasuke stood nearby her. He lifted the apple from Kasai's tray and inspected it for a moment, before offering it to his wife. She didn't bother to thank him as she took it and bit into it, her eyes closed with the utmost fondness-

Hinata liked apples sometimes. Well, for nine months that he could recall.

Sasuke looked back down at Kasai's unconscious form. "Does she remind you of Sakura?"

Mirai Hinata looked up. As she thought of Sakura's short temper, and all her hidden ill-will, a small smile crossed her face. "She'll grow out of it," she said.

"She looks like us, but she's more like Naruto and Sakura."

Mirai Hinata returned to her fruit. She had always seen Naruto and Sakura as two sides of Sasuke's conscience. They had a heavy influence on his life, so it made sense that they would also influence Kasai. "I don't mind it."

Sasuke continued to peer at his daughter. He seemed to be musing more on the matter, but his mind had drifted to other things.

At five, Kasai was already using genjutsu, and at a level of skill no normal child should have been able to employ. Her genjutsu abilities seemed limited to fire – flames that burned and blistered skin. Smoke that could choke someone to death when they breathed it.

Maybe genjutsu was Kasai's one natural talent, not dissimilar to...Kurenai, he supposed. He tried not to think about who else he remembered to favor genjutsu.

Kasai had the sharingan, so it made sense that she was ahead of other children her age, but her abilities didn't correspond well with her volatility. It gave him all the more incentive to finish his seals for her.

Mirai Sasuke moved the tray aside and spread his scroll out on a small table near the bed. He brought his thumb to his canine, and thought of all the things Kakashi had taught him in the past. It was a tricky seal, but it was near to completion. Now as he worked on his bloody characters, he fused them with layers and layers of chakra. After only an hour of this, he began to feel fatigued. He took a step back, and felt Hinata's arm wrap behind him.

"You're exhausting yourself," she gently scolded. "It could take days."

It was important that he finished it sooner than later. Hinata didn't understand. She guided him to the chair, but he didn't let her go. Hinata feebly resisted as he pulled her into his lap, wrapped his arms around her, and buried his face behind her shoulder. He felt her relax, and knew she was gazing at Kasai.

"She'll be fine," he muttered.

Kasai was still unconscious, but Mirai Sasuke wasn't concerned. As she was too young to replenish her strength at even half the rate at which she could expend it, she needed a medical nin to revive her, but there were none at hand as of yet. Sasuke could have done it himself, but his chakra was tainted. He didn't want to expose Kasai to the muck and ink that infused his power.

When Sasuke heard the door to the hospital room open, he lifted his head from Hinata's shoulder and watched as Mirai Naruto walked inside.

"Is Kasai all right?"

"She'll be fine," Mirai Sasuke repeated. Maybe his positioning said otherwise, because Naruto was looking at him curiously. He knew the other could sense his apprehension, but he didn't care, and didn't release Hinata. She touched one of the arms that encircled her, gazing at it thoughtfully.

"It's time to go back," Sasuke digressed, startling the blonde. "Unless you have any last intentions, I think we're done in the past."

Naruto's face hardened. "We're not going anywhere without Sakura."

"I copied your technique." Mirai Sasuke lifted up one of his hands, demonstrating the first, impeccable seal. He activated the sharingan to further his point. "I'm assuming I can take you back with or without your consent."

He watched as Naruto's face drained of color. Hadn't he known all along? The blonde clenched his fists and stormed out of the room.

"Naruto?" Hinata called.

But Mirai Naruto was already halfway down the corridor, fuming and fueled by Sasuke's threat. He wasn't blind to the Uchiha's manipulation. Maybe he wanted him to kill Hanabi, or maybe he still wanted her spared. Regardless of which, he wanted Naruto to face his decision.

Would he kill or spare her? The so-called innocent girl?


	42. Trigger

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 42**

In another world, Tsunade's death had jolted the dynamics of team seven, shooting its members up in the ranks. In consequence, Naruto and Sakura were torn apart and thrown together at the convenience of the village. When political tensions subsided by their twenties, they would remember their enthusiasm for each other. But by their twenties, it would be too late.

The young Naruto and Sakura were arguing when Hinata arrived to training that afternoon. Something about the importance of ramen and comradery…or comradery in ramen? She didn't look at Sasuke, who hadn't met her by her house that day, as he oftentimes did.

"I'm not your friend," he said, beside her.

"W-what?" Naruto and Sakura were paying them little mind, both flailing their arms while yelling incoherently.

"You said we were friends – to your sister. So I want to be extremely clear. We're not friends. You're my wife."

Biting hard on her bottom lip, Hinata twiddled her thumbs. "I'm not just your wife. Y-you're my husband, too."

Tearing his eyes away from Naruto and Sakura's increasingly physical dispute, Sasuke looked at Hinata, his expression suggesting that she was making no sense to him.

"If I'm yours, then –y-you're mine!"

The corner of his mouth twitched, which just frustrated her more. He didn't get her point. Neither Sasuke nor Hinata noticed that Kiba and Shino had appeared, and had taken to ogling their quiet bickering, even with Sakura wringing Naruto's neck.

Hinata continued, not knowing why it mattered, but, "Y-you s-should talk. You and Naruto-kun l-left me alone in the forest the other day. You didn't e-even say…" she trailed off as she noticed how quiet it had gotten. She looked around to see that not only Sasuke was watching her, but the others were as well. Sakura's gloved fist was wedged between Naruto's teeth, but even they had taken to staring at her. She began to hyperventilate.

So their teammates had yet to adjust to the fact that they were married. She was reluctant to suggest _she _had adjusted.

A poof of smoke signaled Kakashi's arrival. He stood there with his book, peering queerly at the six of them. Sakura hastily ripped her fist from Naruto's jaw, nearly fracturing it in the process.

"Since you all seem so eager to spar today, Sasuke, you'll be matched with-"

"Can you do different teams for once?" said Kiba, casting Sasuke a bitter look. He dug a rumpled brown paper bag out of his pocket and gave it to Hinata, who proceeded to breathe into it.

"I was going to change things anyway. You six have clearly been getting little work done." Kakashi was looking pointedly at Sasuke, who remained stoical, and Hinata, who was busy with her paper bag. "Sasuke, you're matched with Naruto today. Sakura, you'll be with Hinata."

There was a pause in which the aforementioned quartet looked dumbstruck, and Kiba and Shino seemed satisfied.

"Kaka-sensei…are you sure that's a good idea?" said Naruto, throwing a nervous glance at Sakura, as she squeezed her gloved fist.

"Get started, no ninjutsu," said Kakashi, instantly worsening Hinata's prospects.

As the three pairs of sparring partners separated to different sections of the training ground, they couldn't have been more ill-prepared for their matches. For one thing, Naruto and Sasuke were terribly out of practice from weeks of fake-sparring with people they would far prefer doing other things with.

"What are we gonna do!?" said Naruto apprehensively.

Sasuke responded by striking him across the face with the hilt of his katana. As Naruto collapsed, Sasuke glanced at the others. He couldn't deny that he was distracted.

Sakura was distracted as well. Her fist connected with the earth, a jagged crack developing on the surface as Hinata dodged her attack. The ground shook and the others threw a collective look their way.

Hinata cautiously circled her, her fighting stance raised, not that it would do her any good against Sakura's strength.

The young Sakura was preoccupied with her impending death, Mirai Naruto, and the hell he'd wrought on her.

…she'd be dead at twenty-five.

She again launched her fist as Hinata, who managed to roll out of the way. The assault clipped her shoulder, however, sending her crashing into a tree, where she crumpled to the ground. She quickly righted herself, looking disheveled, but keen.

Sasuke activated his sharingan as he observed the fight, Naruto climbing up from the ground to join him. "She's not going easy on her," the blonde remarked.

Sasuke remained silent. Hinata's only chance was to cheat; he only hoped she realized it.

The Hyuuga had good speed, which was fortunate for her. Maybe she was beginning to realize the subtle ways Sakura's technique slowed her down. She dodged another of Sakura's cuffs, by inches, twisting behind her to execute four…eight…sixteen strikes to her the back, in such quick succession, only a doujutsu user could have caught it. As Sakura struck her with her free arm, Hinata went flying, hitting the ground, and rolling a few times times before ending up face down several yards away. She trembled every so often in her efforts to move. Sakura frowned at her for a moment, before she collapsed as well, arbitrarily dropping to her back.

Sasuke couldn't help being entertained. "She sealed her chakra," he said, his eyes glowing red.

"Hot," Naruto said, prompting Sasuke to throw him a glare. "I mean – all of it. It was just really-"

"No ninjutsu," Kakashi called haphazardly from his log, though he was barely paying attention. He was re-reading _Icha Icha Explosion _for the twelfth time, and it was even better than the eleventh!

Sighing, Naruto and Sasuke faced each other and raised their stances, prepared to resume their spar, when they heard an all-too-familiar grunt.

Haruno Sakura was conscious.

Naruto and Sasuke turned back to the kunoichis' spar. Hinata was sitting up leaning on her hands, her face scratched, clothes torn, and hair filled with twigs and leaves. She was staring at Sakura who was arduously climbing to her feet, despite that almost half her chakra had been sealed away from her access.

As Sakura stood, she grasped her knees, strands of pink hair hanging in her face. Though she seemed seconds from toppling over again, she started toward Hinata, but it seemed clear their fight was over.

"Sakura-!" Naruto called.

_Sakura…Sakura…_

Her name seemed to echo around her, not in her voice, but _his._ Which Naruto, she couldn't determine. It was as though both of them were calling out to her.

As she stopped in front of Hinata, the other girl stared up at her in clear anxiety. Sakura looked over at Naruto and Sasuke, who mirrored Hinata's uneasiness. She knew where Sasuke's focus lay, but she experienced Naruto's, personally, his eyes emanating an abundance of love and concern that she could barely comprehend. Was that was Sasuke felt for Hinata? Sakura's defenses began to lower.

"Jyuuken!" Hinata was suddenly standing, and slamming her palm into her chest.

Sakura staggered back some steps, but managed to remain on her feet. As she coughed up blood her inner self rose up in malice. "Hyah!" Her strike caught Hinata in the abdomen, and it was her turn to cough blood. As Hinata swayed, and fell too her knees, Sakura caught her chin, keeping her upright. She then stepped back and spun, aiming a kick for Hinata's throat.

There was the _crack _of Sasuke's forearm breaking from the force of her blow. Sakura drew back, maintaining her stance.

"Sakura," he hissed, his face contorted in pain.

Sometimes it was as though he cared more about Hinata than her and Nauto, who had spent half their lives looking after him. As Sasuke unsheathed his sword with his good arm, she launched herself at him, but was suddenly tackled to the ground. She hit the earth forcefully, the air knocked out of her lungs. Suddenly Naruto was above her, straddling her, gripping her collar, and pinning her to the ground, with his clenched fists, and angry red eyes. "Calm down," he growled.

Uncannily, she obeyed, her inner-self withdrawing, disappearing in the depths of her mind. She watched Naruto's eyes turn blue, and for a moment, they stared at one another.

"What's going on over here?" said Kakashi, approaching. He finally tucked his book away, looking from Sasuke, who dropped his sword to instead clutch his arm, to Hinata, who fell to her back and closed her eyes, her hair splayed around her. Naruto was still holding Sakura to the ground as Kiba and Shino approached, both with wary eyes on the pink-haired kunoichi.

"I told you this wasn't a good idea," Naruto groused. He gasped when Sakura threw him off her.

Kiba agreed. "Maybe next time – Hinata could be matched with the Uchiha, or something." He awkwardly coughed.

Sakura walked over to Sasuke and took his arm, despite his scowl. She healed him then moved on to Hinata, kneeling down to heal her as well.

"Sorry," Hinata heard her whisper in her ear.

Hinata lifted her eyelids halfway as Sakura's chakra descended on her. She suspected the other girl wasn't referencing their spar; her apology was designated to something far more significant. Hinata watched as Sasuke examined his healed arm, experimentally opening and closing his fist. As Sakura finished and withdrew, another's hand hovered over Hinata in offering. She grasped it, thinking it was Sasuke's, but it was more calloused than his. It had less scarring than Kiba's. She thought it was Shino who had come to her aid, but realized it was Kakashi, only after he pulled her to her feet.

"Forgive Sakura," he said, remaining cheerful despite everyone else's ill-humor. "She gets carried away sometimes."

"Ano – of course," said Hinata, unable to implant a convincing amount of enthusiasm in her words. She peeked past Kakashi, at Sasuke, who still had a frown etched on his features.

"C'mon Hinata, I'll take you home," said Kiba, coming up at her other side to rest his hand on her shoulder.

"No," Hinata objected. "I- I mean-" She bit her mouth, looking down.

"I'll take her home," said Sasuke. "If that's all right, Hinata?"

She nodded her head in affirmation. Her cheeks burning, she walked to him, her eyes widening as he took her hand.

"Right," said Kiba, somewhat resigned.

She'd speak to Kiba later; apologize to him. Not that she thought she would ever be able to explain it. But at that moment, she wanted to be with Sasuke. She couldn't help being focused on her hand, clasped in his.

Hand-holding was a sentiment usually reserved for people more expressive than him. It was always Kasai between them, connecting them, but at that moment, the way he held hers, with all the others around – maybe he was just enjoying her embarrassment. She looked into his face, but all she saw was weariness.

_Nice to see they're getting along,_ Kakashi mused, as the group disbanded. Naruto and Sakura lingered, but Kakashi took his leave as well. It seemed his interference was all but necessary at that point.

The young Naruto sat on the ground, pouting. He was well aware of Sakura's inherent recklessness, but she was approaching new heights of it – the levels he had seen in Mirai Sakura during her spar with his future self. And yes it was…arousing…but, it also scared him a little. "Ne, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura wasn't paying him any attention. She was peering at something on an adjacent field, and as Naruto followed her gaze, he spotted his future-self stalking by. Mirai Naruto was always coming and going from training ground three. It was incredibly annoying, but there were far more important things than his crazed counterpart.

As the young Naruto observed his torn expression that day, he began to realize the origin of phantom pain.

"Sakura."

He didn't know why he suddenly ached for the pink-haired kunoichi. She was right there beside him.

The girl in question began to walk off in the direction Mirai Naruto had gone.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked.

"I have to speak to him."

"What's wrong with you today? Have you lost it?"

"Fuck off."

The blonde climbed to his feet and bristled, Kyuubi flaring in an unconscious defense to Sakura's aggressive mood. In another world, he would have been left peacefully oblivious of Inner Sakura throughout his teens. But in this one, Naruto was slowly becoming acquainted with this cruel alternate within the girl he knew, and was repelled by it. Unnerved by it. Wanted to get away from it-

But couldn't.

Sakura turned to him, returning his challenge. He backed away as she approached, until his back hit a tree. He pressed himself against it in preparation for her blow.

She kissed his cheek.

Naruto's face turned red but his eyes became blue again.

As Inner Sakura pulled back, she regarded him. So that's what Mirai Naruto was on about. The two of them were together. Her eyes trailed down his chest and back to his face. He assumed a hasty fighting stance, as though afraid she might kiss him again.

Eying him, Sakura walked off, and as she did so, her spite diminished.

Naruto numbly watched her depart. The simple kiss had created a spark of realization. Like the first beat of a butterfly's wings, all it took was a kiss that would reverberate for years and lifetimes. He rubbed his cheek distastefully, feeling violated, though he didn't know why.

For a long time, most of his energy had been delegated to looking after Sasuke, and then protecting the village. But at that moment, unbeknownst to either, Sakura became his priority. The rest of the world shifted to second.

* * *

"Is it okay?" said the young Hinata. She was sitting beside him on the roof looking at his forearm. She tentatively touched it, then went ahead and took it, scrutinizing it until veins rose beside her eyes.

"It's fine," said Sasuke.

She deactivated the byakugan and looked up at him, seeing the vaguest hint of a smile on his face. She couldn't help but stare.

Then she quickly looked down. "You g-got hurt for me."

He dismissed this. "You did well against Sakura."

She blushed at the compliment.

"Tell me about your breathing problem."

"What?" she said in confusion. "Oh, you mean my – my hyperventilation syndrome." A self-depreciating smile crossed her face. She had been hoping he hadn't noticed those times when her throat closed up for no reason.

"Un."

"It just – just happens sometimes, when I'm n-nervous." She inhaled.

"How do we control it?"

_We, _as though he had equal investment in her ability to breathe. She scratched her cheek, her blush deepening. "S-sometimes a paper b-bags helps."

Sasuke watched her. That wasn't going to cut it. "Do I make you nervous?"

"S-sometimes."

But not all the time. Not the times they were perched in that very spot, kissing. Maybe he shouldn't have approached the matter at all.

Sasuke blinked when Hinata suddenly pressed herself against his chest, her head tucked under his chin. He unconsciously caught her waist.

"Sometimes when I was little, my Otousan used to…" she trailed off, deeply inhaling, then exhaling.

"I'm not your father," he muttered into her hair.

She weakly nodded. Ever since being branded her friend, Sasuke seemed intent on the matter of identity. He didn't want any confusion on his role in her life. She consented, only because she was too breathless to argue. "You're my husband," she mumbled.

"Aa." He seemed almost…possessive.

"And – my comrade."

"That's secondary."

"Not if – we're on – missions."

Sasuke didn't pursue the argument. His fingers crawled down to her hip, but her breathing continued to even out. She didn't stiffen or pull away this time, just stayed where she was, curled against him. They slid up her waist again, stroking experimentally, like he was testing her tolerance. She silently blushed.

She felt safe with him, beyond her comprehension, beyond her better judgment, but she had spent so much time being afraid of him, she had failed to notice he was the one protecting her.

* * *

_"She's bad for you, you know."_

_"I'm just inner Sakura."_

"_She'll be the death of you-"_

Mirai Naruto walked into his room at the Hyuuga house that night, random remembrances aggressing his mind. His hands trembled as he pulled off his jacket and dumped it in a closet. He tied his weapons holster to his thigh. It was late so the elders would all be in bed. They wouldn't be able to protect Hanabi, anyway.

And it wasn't about the girl. It wasn't about anyone, but Sakura.

_"Tsunade passed down her technique to me."_

It was all his fault.

Naruto stalked out of his room, down the corridor, and out of the guest wing. He silently moved through the house, finding the corridor for the bedrooms of the immediate family members. There were two opposing doors midway through the hall. He could sense the young Hinata beyond one of them, and Hanabi, beyond the other. He remained there for a while, breathing.

_He leaned on the wall, blank-faced, unapproachable. His crimson chakra teemed to take over the rest of him._

Naruto slipped into Hanabi's room. He saw her form curled on her bed, hair pulled back, her throat exposed. At eleven, she was defenseless.

He had finally run out of time, and options. This was the only thing he _could _do, even if everything in his being was directing him away from killing an innocent child – motherless, fatherless, and alone in the world, except for her sister. He was the Hokage in his time. He had everything, and she...

Mirai Naruto moved forward before his conscience could intervene.

_"She's dead."_

"_Lose the shirt, Uzumaki."_

_"Everyone's dead."_

"_Ninpo sozo saise!"_

_"No one is prettier than you,_

_"It should have been me instead of Ino-"_

The point of his senbon caressed Hanabi's throat. He knew which artery to cut to kill her the fastest. Sasuke had shown him once, on a missing nin. But of course, Sasuke's job was to kill people by the slowest means possible. It was why Sasuke was in the ANBU, and Naruto was Kage. Why Sakura had been his second, and Konohamaru, his protégé. They contrasted at a crucial level.

Naruto's hand trembled for a moment, causing Hanabi to stir. Choking back a sob, he withdrew his blade.

He knew Sasuke had always been right – that killing Hanabi would bring him no relief. And he knew that they had a landslide of sacrifices ahead of them. Maybe this could be one less thing to lose. If he could preserve his love for his wife, maybe that would be enough for him. If he didn't have to lose _that _as well-

"Naruto?"

He blinked at the sound of the voice. He turned to the door, which had been left partially open. And then he swallowed.

"Sakura?"


	43. Kokoro

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

"Talking."

_Thinking._

**Telepathy.**

**Chapter 43**

_They would embrace like they hadn't in years, like they were brothers, and nothing had ever stood between them. Mirai Naruto would feel how weak Sasuke had become, his heart beating and echoing around them like water dripping slowly._

"_I knew it was powerful,"Mirai Naruto would say._

_Mirai Sasuke would listen. He had long wondered why Naruto had been interested in the technique in the first place._

"_**I just wanted to see baa-chan again. And Ero-sennin." **__Mirai Naruto would swallow. __**"Otousan. K-kaasan. Stupid, ne?"**_

_**No.**__  
_

"_**Sasuke, what is it?"**__said Naruto. He had never seen Sasuke so out of order, his body resigning, sharingan lazily revolving._

_**I need a favor,**__ Sasuke would say, and nothing more thereafter._

* * *

"Come here," she mouthed, curling her fingers to beckon him over.

Mirai Naruto was so stunned, he approached the apparition, but she ran off and disappeared passed the doorframe. His chest tightening, he darted into the dark corridor, but found it to be empty. He clutched his heart as it threatened to burst.

"Naruto," she sang.

Mirai Naruto looked up and squinted, spotting her at the end of the hall, where she poked her head out from behind the corner. He took a deep breath. "Don't – move," he entreated.

Playfully smiling, she stepped out and made herself fully visible. She obediently waited as he closed their distance, by some miracle getting his legs to heed his orders. He reached her, touching her, his fingers – making contact with hers. He pressed her to the wall. "I'm dreaming," he hoarsely concluded. "But I don't want to wake up."

"Then let's go to bed," she said, lightly biting his nose.

* * *

Though Kasai had only been revived earlier that evening, she was already keen to go off again to reap her usual mayhem. For the moment, however, he had gotten her to go to sleep.

He and Hinata shared the armchair by her hospital bed, Hinata's legs strewn across him, and her head on his shoulder as she slept.

Mirai Sasuke drifted in and out of consciousness, his eyes half-lidded, and his mind shifting from one tribulation to the next. Kasai's seal was almost done, in fact, it was one step away from completion. Wasn't it all that mattered? His eyes shifted to Hinata's head of dark hair, then they finally began to close. **I love you,** he thought, or had intended to think, but the words escaped him telepathically, and they weren't limited to Hinata. His comrades must have heard it as well. His eyes lifted in time to catch Kasai's face twitch in her sleep. Hinata was roused too.

"I love you," she countered sleepily, kissing the end of his jaw, then falling back to sleep against the crook of his neck.

Before surrendering himself to unconsciousness, Sasuke activated the sharingan and looked down at her. He could see the color of chakra, and had never been so frustrated with this talent as he was now.

They would be returning to their time soon, and he suspected he knew what the spirits would request from Hinata.

* * *

It was the dream of dreams, the best one of any one. He'd sleep forever if it meant he could be with her.

Mirai Naruto awoke the next morning and reached for the spot beside him out of cursed habit. Instead of making contact with unoccupied sheets, his hand touched soft, firm skin – someone's naked thigh. Pausing for a moment, he lifted his face from his pillow and peeked up at his wife, who was gazing back down at him, an amused look on her face. She was sitting up beside him casually eating a yuzu, and nude, except for the sheets drawn around her. Naruto watched as she plucked a piece of the fruit into her mouth.

"Sakura!" He jumped her, pinning her to the bed, causing her to squeeze her fruit, its juice trickling down her wrist. He breathed in scents of citrus and plum blossom, and it was so…evocative, he nearly pulled back.

"Naruto!" she complained, frowning at him with her emerald eyes and pink brows, and again he lost his train of thought.

"Ano…" He attempted a smile. "You were dead."

"What are you talking about?" said Mirai Sakura, poking his nose, because she was _Sakura, _and he may have forgotten that at some point in his child-terrorizing and ghost-summoning. He tried to rein his emotions.

"I…I was trying to…" Naruto trailed off as she propped herself on her elbow, drawing closer, challengingly. Her pink hair was long again, the way he liked it. Her forehead still adorned the purple diamond, the one he'd damned, and yet she looked beautiful – maybe more so than she had ever looked before.

A wave of dizziness overcame him. Naruto pulled away from her and dropped to his back, then pressed his hands to his eyes. He struggled to breathe.

_"Are you crying?"_

Only Sakura.

* * *

The young Sasuke and Hinata walked into the hospital together that day, the boy with considerably less enthusiasm. His hands pocketed, he eyed the stuffed creature clutched in Hinata's arms.

"I-It's your summons, ne?" she asked.

_That _was not his summons. The stuffed animal Hinata clutched was round, and fat, open-mouthed, with an ill-look on its face. It toppled over if she didn't set it down with the utmost care, otherwise sat perched upon a pair of oversized claws. She claimed it to be a hawk, which was vaguely consistent with the pudgy, outspread, mitten-like wings sticking out from its sides. It was the most atrocious thing he had ever seen.

"I also summon snakes," Sasuke said.

And she summoned rats, but she wasn't going to get Kasai one of those. Nor did the gift reflect her liking of dogs, or Sasuke's of talking cats. The hawk was perfect.

When Hinata reached the door to Kasai's hospital room and knocked, there was no answer. Maybe Kasai was resting. She activated the byakugan to check, then froze and deactivated it. "W-we should come back."

Sasuke opened the door and walked inside, spotting the source of Hinata's discomfort. Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata were wrapped around each other in an armchair, both asleep. The young Sasuke fought the mortification trying to crawl up to his face as the young Hinata reluctantly trailed into the room after him.

Mirai Sasuke shifted, and opened his eyes as he sensed them. He surveyed them for a moment, his chin upon his wife's bowed head, and his arm curled about her waist. "It's you two," he deadpanned.

There was obvious distaste in the way he addressed them. Mirai Hinata stirred and untucked her face from her husband's collar. She drowsily took account of their guests, then stiffened.

She tried to detach herself from Mirai Sasuke, but he wouldn't let her go. She gave him a glare, and he responded by pulling her closer.

The silent feud between their counterparts did nothing for young Sasuke and young Hinata's embarrassment. As the young Sasuke watched them strangely, the young Hinata averted her gaze.

"Kaasan? Tousan?" Kasai was awake, and rubbing her eyes. "You came!" she said, addressing her younger parents, as the older ones didn't warrant that kind of excitement.

The young Hinata remembered the toy in her arms. "We brought you a present, Kasai-chan," she said, grateful for the distraction. As she brought the stuffed animal to Kasai, Mirai Sasuke regarded it with the same caustic look his counterpart had worn at seeing it. Kasai took it and stared at it for a long time.

Then her eyes lit up. "He's my new best friend!" she said, squeezing the toy with such intensity, all four of her parents noted to never get her pets.

"She may not be able to take it home with her," said Mirai Hinata gently. She fruitlessly tried to detach her husband's arms from around her.

The young Hinata blinked, a look of realization crossing her face. She abruptly embraced Kasai, whose arms were already full with her toy.

She had been worrying about it for a while now. It seemed their stay would be coming to a close soon.

As the young Hinata forced herself to pull away from the curious child, the young Sasuke joined them by the bed. He took Kasai's hand, and was reminded of the first time she took claim to him and had refused to let go.

Mirai Hinata smiled slightly at her counterpart. "You'll have her soon enough," she said, offering her the maternal smile she usually reserved for Kasai.

The young Hinata looked back at her, biting her lip, but nodding. Her eyes drifted to Mirai Sasuke, observing his idle affection, his lack of concern for them seeing it. Mirai Sasuke was so much more confident than the younger one, and even – more handsome as well. She blushed and glanced away. "T-thank you," she managed, even through her apprehension, "for looking after us."

She snuck a glance up again, and suddenly Mirai Sasuke's eyes were holding hers. Completely…indefinitely… Onyx eyes that were depthless, terrible eyes that knew all her secrets. She could have stayed there forever, enchanted, imprisoned by him, but with a slight incline of his head, he freed her. She quickly looked back down.

Had anything actually transpired, the young Sasuke didn't notice. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Kasai was still holding his hand, and his eyes with her similar ones. She gazed at him with her growing, childish curiosity.

"Ja," he said, pulling away before Kasai could anticipate it, as though he knew she would never release him. "Let's go," he said to the young Hinata.

The young Hinata nervously nodded as she twisted her hair. She watched the young Sasuke throw one final glance, not at his counterpart, but hers, as though Mirai Hinata won his intrigue.

The young Hinata wondered if he thought Mirai Hinata was prettier than she was. To the young Hinata, it wasn't a question. Her counterpart was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She didn't wear bulky jackets, and had little concern for the modesty she herself was so desperate to maintain. At present, she was wearing slacks of knee-length and a tank top, her uniform strewn across a night table nearby. And to the young Hinata, it wasn't violating, because it felt like the two of them were completely different people. She watched as her counterpart went back to prodding at her husband's arms for release.

Kasai busied herself with molesting her new toy as the young Sasuke and Hinata departed. She began to gnaw on one of its wings as the door closed behind them.

In their absence, Mirai Sasuke finally released Mirai Hinata, allowing her to take his hands, then try to decide what to do with them. She let them go and instead wrapped her arms about his torso, resting her head back against his chest, against his steady heart. She wondered if he found humor in his young self, the way he found humor in her when she lost her composure. She peeked up at his face, but it gave nothing away. Just weariness, and…something else, but he pulled away from her before she could decipher it.

Mirai Sasuke stood and walked over to Kasai's bed, detaching the toy from her four limbs, despite the risk of this making her cry. Her bottom lip trembled forebodingly as he held up the stuffed animal, scrutinizing it. Little did Kasai know, she would grow up to wish he'd never given it back.

Mirai Sasuke smiled darkly at his daughter. "I'll use this to channel your seal."

* * *

The young Sasuke was impressed when Hinata agreed to come back to his apartment with him, then disappointed with himself for having it. He regarded her, trying to determine whether she liked him too much or herself too little.

She was paying him little mind, staring off, a slight smile on her features. He absently wondered what she was thinking about, then reminded himself that he didn't care. It was just nice to see her…those times when she wasn't under the influence of her anxieties. He leaned over to her, and they kissed once, lightly, heads together, eyes down.

Hinata remained as she was, enjoying the connection. Her life had been transformed by five nin from the future. She couldn't change her fate if she wanted to; not that she wanted to, she didn't think. It was just overwhelming. Sasuke was her first boyfriend, though she didn't think she could get away even with saying that. He had been her husband before he had been anything else. There was something very outlandish about knowing a significant part of her future; having it all in the palm of her hand and trying to decide what to do with it.

Maybe they were getting ahead of themselves, both harboring a growing addiction to their first encounters with real intimacy.

Hinata surprised Sasuke when she initiated their next kiss. She tentatively slipped her arms around his neck as he slid his hand up her thigh. She stiffened.

"It's okay," he muttered against her lips.

Every time he wanted to take things a step further, his rationale was that he was her husband. They were allowed to, and they would have to get used to it anyway.

She didn't know why she let him, or why she...participated, even. She petulantly tugged at his shirt until he pulled it off and she had full access to his muscled torso.

He would be even more attractive when he was older. Taller, more muscular, nicer, but cooler… Her thoughts drifted to Mirai Sasuke.

"You're daydreaming."

"Huh? No!"

He pulled back and peered at her, wondering if she wasn't thinking of Naruto. Guiltily biting her lip, Hinata made sure not to meet his eyes.

"It's understandable," said Sasuke monotonously. "Women are easily distracted by stupid things."

She sniffed at his sudden sexism, _What a baka._

"You can go home."

_He couldn't kick her out!_

"Get out."

"If we're married, then this is m-my place too!" Hinata declared, though there was no evidential backing to her remark.

She shrunk as he stared at her, belatedly remembering to close his mouth.

Then suddenly they were kissing again, touching, kissing, everything, everywhere. Hinata sunk against the couch cushions, Sasuke following, leaning over her. They paused to stare at each other, then were quickly back to kissing.

It was only then that she started to blush, relinquishing her latest record of not doing so. He roughly jerked open her pullover, kissing the skin on her shoulder, the crook of her neck.

"You have a good body," said Sasuke, sensing her insecurity. It seemed stupid that he had to state the obvious. "Flawed for a kunoichi but perfect for-"

"July twenty-third," she said, her eyes squeezed shut.

Sasuke paused at hearing his birth date. As he pulled back, Hinata saw that his sharingan was activated. She had seen it up close once or twice before, but the sight of it still made her nervous.

Sasuke climbed off her and returned to sitting on the couch, where he stared off at the opposite wall. She saw a strange wince cross his face, then his eyes were black again, though he didn't seem to notice.

Hinata also sat up, looking somewhat more disheveled than he did. "I'll g-go," she promised, clutching her pullover around herself as she headed for the exit. She made it just as far, when he stopped her-

"Hinata."

She stared at the door. "Un?"

"Stay."

She looked back at him. Except for his clenched jaw, he didn't seem excessively tense. She nervously crept back over to him. Up-close, he seemed a little flushed as well.

"We don't have to have sex," he said, though he didn't sound very convincing to either of them.

"Un." Said Hinata, joining him in staring at the wall. But her gaze drifted to her knees, and she clutched them, reminding herself to breathe deeply, in, then out. She didn't know why she felt so emotional all the sudden.

"It's okay," said Sasuke, possibly sensing her deterioration. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, then the walls crumbled completely. She buried her face in his shoulder, submerging herself in the stupid affection she hadn't known to be there. Maybe his counterpart had outed him unfairly, but she didn't care.

"Breathe."

She did, drifting in the chaos, the abyss of his affection. She remained there for what could have been minutes, or hours.

"I'll be your wife by your twentieth birthday," she mumbled, her voice muffled in his shirt. "I promise I'll be ready by then."

All was silent for a while, until finally she looked up at him, meeting onyx eyes that weren't dissimilar to his counterpart's after all.


	44. Stop All The Clocks

**Author's Note: **Two epilogues to follow. One for the younger characters and one for the mirai ones.

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Chapter 44**

"You died, Sakura-chan. Baa-chan gave your counterpart the seal, then you just – died."

Her husband was curled up with his head on her abdomen, telling her again and again – explaining how she had collapsed in his arms, body aging, seal fading, chakra retracting, then disappearing completely.

Mirai Sakura listening in silent wonderment. She stared at the ceiling, absently twisting her fingers through his hair, and strangely, all she could do was worry about him.

* * *

Kasai had been discharged from the hospital earlier that afternoon. Nevertheless, Mirai Sasuke was late to his meeting with his genin team. When he arrived to the training grounds, he was surprised to see Mirai Naruto was covering for him. As Sasuke stood off and observed them, he noted that Mirai Naruto was in better spirits that day, and Sasuke realized, the blonde was decidedly better with children than he was. It was ironic on too many levels.

"Forget Moegi. She has feelings for someone else," Mirai Naruto was saying to Udon, who spent many a day sniveling about the kunoichi in question. "Someday girls are gonna be lined up to go out with you, dattebayo!"

"Whaaa? No way!" said Udon, as he excitedly wiped at his snot-dripping nose.

"Trust me," said Mirai Naruto, giving him a Rock Lee nice-guy pose. _"I'm from the future."  
_  
Udon glanced at his sensei, as though to seek more assurance, but Mirai Sasuke's deadpan expression remained unchanged. He would have preferred if Naruto didn't lie to his students. He didn't know much about Udon's future, just that he was very young, and very dead. Konohamaru was the one that everyone kept their eye on.

Hanabi's expression mirrored Mirai Sasuke's, though there was an edge of hostility to hers. As usual, she was looking specifically _not_ at her teammate.

Mirai Sasuke wondered if he should have taught Udon more – like caution against hasty swords, self-defense against relentless genjutsu, to keep his guard up against Hyuuga Hanabi, who in another world had sacrificed him without a sentiment or thought.

Some suggested Hanabi was innately evil, that her cruelty wasn't just a product of playing with fate, sacrificing her soul, and surviving that night she wasn't supposed to. He didn't believe it.

"Can you give us something more than relationship advice?" grumbled the girl in question.

Every bit of Mirai Naruto's affability fell as Hanabi addressed him, but Mirai Sasuke approached and took over.

"Like my daughter, you have a natural talent for genjutsu," he said, ignoring as Mirai Naruto's eyes widened. "My young self will warm to you in time. Maybe he'll show you a trick or two."

Mirai Sasuke felt Mirai Naruto glaring at him, but ignored it. Hanabi, meanwhile, wore a fallen expression, as though she had been seeking something more substantial than a technique that digressed so vastly from her current skills, or that she would rather train with someone like Neji, than her weird new brother-in-law with traitorous tendencies and a distaste for punctuality. Maybe she was disinterested in genjutsu altogether. She still had the byakugan as a result of changes he had made to the timeline. Maybe she wouldn't take up genjutsu at all.

Mirai Naruto threw Mirai Sasuke one more nasty look before returning his attention to Udon. "Stick by your friends – Konohamaru and Moegi. Life's too short." He ruffled his hair. "You're dismissed."

Hanabi and Udon seemed confused that Mirai Naruto was dismissing them. They glanced at Mirai Sasuke, who was curious, but remained stoical.

Frowning to themselves, the preteens wandered off, and as they did so, mused on the nature of the meeting, wondering if it hadn't been their final audience with Mirai Sasuke. Hanabi bit her mouth and threw a glance back at the future visitors, then sighed, unsurprised to find they were already gone.

* * *

Mirai Sakura was on the veranda waiting for Mirai Naruto and Mirai Sasuke to return from the training grounds. She beamed when she saw them enter the courtyard.

It was seldom she saw Mirai Sasuke wearing a look of shock. It was even scarcer that she saw him smile. She jumped off the wooden railing and closed their distance, allowing herself to be pulled into his arms.

"Okay, I died, big deal," she complained, but she would remember that moment with Sasuke forever.

He pulled back. "How?" he asked.

"I don't know," said Mirai Naruto, taking Mirai Sakura's hand. "But I'm not waiting for anyone else to disappear. We have to go back. Today. _Now_."

Sasuke nodded. For once, they were in agreement.

* * *

Mirai Naruto arranged a hasty meeting in Tsunade's office for them and their counterparts. It was a smaller gathering than the one they'd had upon their arrival in the past, but it was better, more intimate; more information could be relayed.

"You're allergic to latex," Mirai Sakura notified the young Naruto, to his confusion.

"Your hair looks better when it's long. Don't cut it again," Mirai Naruto told the young Sakura with a tender smile.

Mirai Sasuke thought for a moment, wondering what bit of information he himself would share with his counterpart. The secret to defeating Hashirama when he was revived next August as an evil zombie? His aversion to dogs he had only realized after he had married and discovered how often Kiba came by? The dangers of eating toads with certain patterns on their backs? Then he decided, "You're going to be badly injured during your first jounin exam," he said, not without sympathy. "Don't go easy on Sakura, or she'll crush your left hand."

Mirai Hinata smiled as she watched the young Sasuke and Sakura peer at each other. She thought for a moment, before leaning down to her young self. "Our husband never eats sweets. He would never admit it, but I suspect he suffers from hyperactivity."

It was the young Hinata's turn to blink. Mirai Sasuke threw Mirai Hinata a suspicious glance. He watched the young Hinata deeply breathe, and would have advised her which herbs helped with her fainting spells if he didn't think it would result in a fainting spell.

"Hey, hey, we were expecting training tips!" snapped the young Naruto, flailing his arms. "We're not – babies!"

But weren't they? Mirai Sasuke, Mirai Sakura, and Mirai Hinata gave him skeptical looks. His composure sank as his own counterpart formed a crooked smile – a known harbinger of unpleasant things.

The young Naruto turned to exchange the young Sasuke's annoyed look with one of his own, and was surprised to see he had activated his cursed seal. His skin had turned shades of gray, an onyx star spreading across his nose as his canines and fingernails lengthened to fangs and claws. The young Naruto's eyes shifted to the young Sakura. She had activated her regeneration seal, the purple diamond disappearing, in its place, black markings that trailed down her face like ink along canvass.

He looked down at himself, beholding his own transformation – the crimson chakra that had come to circle him, the hairs that stood straight up on his arms and knuckles...

"Work on your defenses," Mirai Naruto's voice cut through his thoughts.

The young Naruto blinked, and he was suddenly back to normal, as were both his teammates, who looked just as baffled as he did. Even Hinata wore a look of confusion. The four looked up at Mirai Sasuke, whose sharingan was activated.

"All of you," he said flatly, after releasing them from his genjutsu.

_"Teme,"_ grumbled the young Naruto as the young Sasuke activated his own sharingan, challengingly. The young Sakura was still blinking, as the young Hinata frowned to herself. Veins began to rise, but sunk on her temples.

"And respect the distinction between necessary techniques and kinjutsu," said Mirai Sakura, regarding the purple diamond above her counterpart's brows.

"There's a lot you can do to learn from each other. Don't take that for granted," said Mirai Hinata. She nodded to her young self. "From Kiba and Shino as well."

The young Sasuke didn't find any value to their advice. It all seemed extremely general to him. "Tell me how you absorb chakra," he urged his future self. "I saw you do it with fire."

A pause.

"Hinata can help you with that," Mirai Sasuke muttered vaguely, causing Mirai Naruto and Mirai Sakura to exchange grins.

The young Sasuke looked at the young Hinata, who seemed confused by his counterpart's allegation. He turned back to Mirai Sasuke and was about to retort, but was promptly shoved aside.

"The Kyuubi's chakra," the young Naruto pleaded to his counterpart. "Sometimes it's just so – overwhelming. And also – tell me how to please a woman!"

The young Naruto was knocked to the ground by the young Sakura. Afterwards she and the young Hinata seemed to abruptly become embarrassed, both blushing as though their own inquisitions had little to do with training.

Mirai Sakura rolled her eyes. "Anything else?"

As the young Sakura furiously shook her head, _no-definitely-not_, the young Hinata bit her bottom lip and glanced at her future self.

"Ano, I-I wanted to ask…"

"Kasai can be a handful," Mirai Hinata said, cutting her off. The young Hinata looked up, expecting her to follow up with a reassurance, but there was nothing. Mirai Hinata simply smiled.

The young Sasuke rejoined the girls and the young Naruto crawled up from the floor, rubbing a sizable lump on his head. To Mirai Naruto, they all looked like bumbling toddlers. **I can't believe we were this stupid,** he said to his wife.

**Ne, speak for yourself, Naruto.** She stuck her tongue out at him to the counterparts' collective confusion.

Mirai Naruto grinned. Nothing could dampen his spirits that day.** I can't wait to get you home, **Sakura-chan. I just want to rip your clothes off."

He realized the latter half of his remark had been said aloud only after his wife's smile disappeared to be replaced with a look of alarm. Mirai Naruto looked at Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata to find further confirmation, as both were staring at him. Finally, he looked at their four young counterparts, who looked horrified, traumatized, and violated.

"Wh-what did you just say to her!" said the young Sakura, who was struggling not to retch.

"He was joking. He's always saying those types of things. Aren't you, Naruto?" said Mirai Sakura. As an afterthought, she flicked him in the back of the head, causing him to fold violently and nearly topple over.

"R-right," he said, trying to orient himself.

The young Naruto still looked shaky, but hopeful as well. "Demo – but he said that he wanted to-"

"I think we're done here," Mirai Sasuke cut in. It was stated with so much finality no one dared say another word.

"Tell Tsunade-sama we're ready," said Mirai Hinata in a subtle dismissal.

After only a moment's hesitation, the four teenagers headed for the office door. The young Naruto stopped as he felt a hand grasping his shoulder. He didn't have to look back to know it was his counterpart.

"Dreams change," Mirai Naruto offered.

The young Naruto didn't know what that meant, but he didn't linger to ask. Shrugging his counterpart's hand off his shoulder, he marched off, perturbed by what a freakish weirdo he was to become in ten years' time. Him and the young Sasuke exchanged uncomfortable looks as their group departed.

In their leave, Tsunade entered the room with Kasai in tow, despite her keenness to trail after her young parents. She squirmed for freedom from Tsunade's hold on her wrist, but was promptly delivered to Mirai Sasuke and Mirai Hinata.

"You're ready?" said Tsunade, directing her gaze to Mirai Naruto.

"Yeah," he responded, wearily smiling.

"This is goodbye for now," said Mirai Sakura.

"It's goodbye forever," said Tsunade, approaching, and embracing her.

"How do you know-?"

"Come now. We all know I don't have another decade in me." She pulled back from Mirai Sakura, only to be embraced by Mirai Naruto.

"I'll miss you baa-chan."

Mirai Sasuke looked at his wife and nodded to the window. **Let's get started.  
**  
The roof of the Hokage tower seemed an appropriate place to end their mission. Mirai Sasuke reactivated his sharingan and began to execute the technique he had copied from Naruto the day they had come to the past.

It was windy on the roof. It blew his hair in his eyes, but he hardly needed to see. He was quickly absorbed in the meticulousness of the technique, the particularity of each movement, each repetition, each subtle variation…

"'Tousan?" said Kasai, as she watched him.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Mirai Naruto and Mirai Sakura join them on the roof.

**Fuck discretion.** Mirai Naruto grinned, kissing Sakura against one of the railings, suspecting it was the last time he would feel whole for the time being.

Mirai Sasuke turned his gazed to his daughter, who was standing against Mirai Hinata, wrapped in her arms, both as entranced by his technique as he had been. He abruptly noticed that Kasai's sharingan was activated.

"Kasai – don't-"

"Sasuke," Hinata interrupted. "Your face."

Mirai Sasuke was well aware of the markings crawling across his body. Hinata had never seen him activate the cursed seal before. Though he only submerged himself as far as the first level, her eyes filled with concern, and her hold on Kasai tightened.

"Hinata?"

"What is it?"

"I…"

* * *

**I never liked you,** he mentioned to the man dressed in white when he encountered him for the second time in the other realm. Mirai Sasuke turned his head to survey the others. He had never realized they had been together all along, standing in a line, facing the man. Him, Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, and Kasai.

While the members of team seven stood in their crueler forms, Hinata and Kasai were both captivated by the technique. Sasuke trailed over to his wife, observing her half-lidded eyes and blank stare. He idly touched her chin, reflecting on how beautiful she looked, even then. She had no pain, and no demons. She was too pure for the matter at hand.

**What do you want?** Naruto growled to the spirit, his red eyes burning venomously.

In exchange for returning them to their time, the man had several stipulations. From Naruto, he requested the Kyuubi. From Sakura, her love for Naruto. From Hinata, her unborn child. From Kasai, her right arm. And from Sasuke, his eyes.

Mirai Sasuke was only vaguely listening. He moved on from Hinata to Kasai, her stuffed animal still hanging loosely from one of her hands. He knelt down and embraced her, but she remained in her stupor. She was staring over his shoulder, at the spirit, her attention undivided.

**We can't give up any of those,** Inner Sakura seethed. She glared at Sasuke, as though to urge him to deal with his father-in-law.

Mirai Sasuke looked up from Kasai. **I don't want to go back to the future, otousama. I want free clearance for my friends.**

**Sasuke-** Naruto protested.

**Tell me what it will cost,** said Sasuke.

"**You know what it will cost,"** said the spirit, as Sasuke rose and faced him.

Sasuke nodded. _As long as that covers it._ He returned the spirit's decayed smile with one of his own.

He was roughly jerked by the shoulder to face Inner Sakura. **What are you doing? **she snapped.

**It's not worth it to lose you,** said Naruto, joining them.

**But it is.**

Naruto grimaced. **Why you and not me?**

**You're more important than I am.** Sasuke dismissed him. **Your presence in more necessary. Your life has more value.**

**How could you know that?**

_It couldn't have been more obvious._ Sasuke looked back at the spirit in white robes. **You knew all along, didn't you?**** That it would be me?****  
**

And the man responded, "**You have a great debt to your friends and a great love for your family…** **Your future has great meaning, even more meaning than your past. Your life would be substantial, and your children would do unimaginable things.** **But every aspect of their integrity relies on your influence. Your presence. Your life hereafter. Give it to me."  
**

**Take it.**


	45. Epilogue 1

**The Chaos Theory**

by Bullwinkle's Lady

**Epilogue 1**

She was wearing blue shorts and a dark T-shirt, her pullover atop it but left unzipped. Her hair was tied up in a band behind her. With her byakugan activated, she held her arms out, palms facing her opponents.

There was a burst of action as they engaged her all at once in a barrage of cuffs, kicks, and blocks. Her hands left dark bruises wherever they made contact with them, rupturing veins, bursting arteries, and damaging organs beyond repair.

"Kaiten!" she shouted, spinning, and disappearing in a vortex of her own chakra.

As two men were flung back into trees, yet others launched themselves at her as she stilled. Hinata twisted one man's kunai into another's heart. As she did, she grabbed his ninjato, and planted it in the collar of the former. She kicked him off the stolen weapon, and spun around just in time to slash another nin's throat. With several rapid thrusts of her fingers, a latest victim was helpless but to collapse in the blood of his comrades.

When Hinata realized how quiet the clearing had gotten, she dropped the weapon and grasped her knees, trying to gather her bearings. But with her byakugan still activated, she could see that two men remained – one who was hiding, and another who was trying to flee. Ending her pause, Hinata leapt nimbly up the branches of a nearby tree. She confronted the fleeing nin, and just before she could strike him with jyuuken, he caught her with a cuff to the throat.

She staggered back, and flipped onto an adjacent branch to keep from falling. Again she raised her palms as her opponent began a technique.

"HAKKE HASANGEKI!"

He was blasted out of the tree in a cloud of twigs, leaves, and blood vapor. As he collapsed to the ground several feet below, his remaining comrade decided to make his escape, and started running out of the clearing.

In the seconds it took him to get halfway there, Hinata had dropped several branches closer to the earth. She leapt on him, catching his throat between her thighs. She sharply jerked her hips to one side, causing him to twist to the ground, his neck snapping in the process.

It wasn't until then that Hinata looked up and noticed the nin who had raced into the clearing with his sword drawn. He paused, and lowered it.

Sasuke was staring at her unfortunate challenger, as though maybe he wanted her to do that to him. Hinata unlatched from the corpse and rolled onto her back, taking the opportunity to catch her breath. Her hair had come loose at some point in the scuffle, splayed around her, with the bodies and blood.

Her husband approached and jerked her up, kissing her, despite how breathless she was. He pressed her into a tree, and she could feel his arousal against her body, her face reddening and reddening, but he couldn't have cared less.

Someone coughed nearby. Sasuke and Hinata looked up to see Naruto and Sakura eying them.

Hinata quickly pushed Sasuke off her.

"She was loaning me chakra," he said, as he stepped back. He sucked the tip of his thumb, as though it held residue of her kiss. Hinata simply averted her eyes.

"Right," said Naruto neutrally. "Let's keep moving."

The group found an old abandoned cabin to camp out in en route to Konoha. Hinata said she had utilized it before with Kiba and Shino. Sasuke had never noticed it, but he had only returned to missions in recent months, in the wake of Tsunade's death.

Kakashi was standing in as Hokage until his successor was ready to take the reins. Naruto had been the prime candidate, but had bizarrely lost all interest in becoming Kage. As a result, everyone else had turned it down in suspicion, except for Kiba, who was presently pouring over policies to rid the bathhouses of gender-segregation, ban cats in Konoha, and make the ANBU uniforms sexier.

"Hey guys, there's a spare bedroom," Naruto mentioned, after looking around the cabin. Instinctively, he grinned at Sakura, but then paused, and wiped his expression clean. "Sasuke, Hinata, you should have it. You're married after all." He forced a grin that wasn't as genuine, as he was weary of spending so many nights on the forest floor.

"No, it's fine!" said Hinata.

"Take it," said Sasuke, who was already unrolling his mat on the living room floor.

Naruto and Sakura paused, then smiled and went off to the bedroom together. Sasuke climbed onto his mat and closed his eyes. He sensed as Hinata hesitated, then abandoned her own mat, which she would not have were Naruto and Sakura still present. She climbed onto his, which could barely accommodate the two of them together, touching his chest, tempting him to pull her against him.

Sasuke idly stroked her back, his fingers drifting from the base of her neck to her tailbone. Hinata closed her eyes, and the two drifted together into darkness.

* * *

When the quartet reached the Konoha gates late the next morning, the two pairs branched off in opposite directions, one couple whispering and giggling amongst themselves, as the second couple eyed the former. The second walked together as far as the Hyuuga compound, where they usually divided.

"Will you come in?" said Hinata, grabbing Sasuke's sleeve before he could walk off.

Sasuke allowed her to lead him into her house, then to her bedroom, where he took advantage of her lapse in better judgment, kissing her ear, sucking her neck. He began to slide her pullover off her shoulder.

But she expertly slipped out of his hold, and his arms were suddenly empty. She backed towards her dresser, bumping into it, and wincing. "You're in a good mood." She weakly smiled.

"Good" was a polite way of putting up.

Sasuke sat on her bed. "Come here."

Hinata did no such thing. Sasuke held her gaze with his blank, hypnotic stare, and she would have suspected genjutsu were his sharingan activated. She arduously tore her eyes away, instead turning to the bureau and rummaging in the drawers. "Your arms."

"What?"

"The wounds," she elaborated, "on your arms." She felt him staring at her as she continued to search for ointment.

"It's okay," said Sasuke.

"No it isn't. It'll get i-infected, or-"

It was Hinata who was at fault for their lack of having sex. She hadn't been able to go through with it at seventeen, nor at eighteen, nor after she had turned nineteen. She stared down at the dresser and contemplated her anxieties.

"The ointment," said Sasuke.

Hinata noticed that she had found the container, and was clutching it in her right hand. Taking a deep breath, she went to the bed and sat beside him. She tried to apply it to the cuts on his arms, but then he was back to kissing her.

She kissed him back despite herself, and soon both were on the bed, wrapped around each other, touching and kissing, nipping and sucking on any bit of skin the other had unthinkingly left exposed.

"It's okay to be aroused." Sasuke smirked as she shivered. He was baiting her the same way Naruto baited him, and Sakura baited Naruto.

Hinata pulled away from him and sat up, abruptly recalling the muffled noises coming from Naruto and Sakura's room the night before. She wondered if this was all just a dirty game between the three of them.

Everyone in Konoha was well aware of Naruto and Sakura's relations, whether or not they wanted to be. The two were inseparable.

Sasuke and Hinata's relationship was viewed in an entirely different light. The Hyuuga elders were concerned. They saw Sasuke come and go, sometimes even going into Hinata's bedroom with her – which, initially, she had been embarrassed about, but they were married, and the elders insisted they had no qualms with it. But Sasuke always left before long, and as far as anyone could tell, they exchanged nothing but training tips. With all four of the parents between them deceased, there really wasn't anyone who felt qualified to confront them about it. No one knew whether the arranged marriage was succeeding or failing. Squint as they might, they saw only two aloof teenagers who seemed to vaguely get along. Sasuke and Hinata went on missions together sometimes, and it was said they worked well together.

Sasuke had been offered ANBU placement, but had agreed to wait a few years, at least until after he was twenty-one. It also helped that the value of being an ANBU operative had largely diminished the moment Kiba had agreed to be Hokage.

Hinata had remained living in the Hyuuga house for the time being, with Hanabi still too young to inherit the title of Hyuuga head. But even Hinata agreed this would have to end soon.

"What is it?" said Sasuke, looking ill-humored as he sat up beside her.

"You should go," mumbled Hinata, staring at her knees.

A muscle twitch at the end of his jaw the only indication of protest, Sasuke stood and collected his jounin vest, which had been unceremoniously dumped on the floor. Hinata trailed after him to the window, where he kissed her goodbye, with a gentleness that didn't correspond with his mood. Then he turned to leave.

"Sasuke?"

He paused, and lowered his foot, which he had raised to the windowsill. He faced her again, looking not irritated, but patient.

She suspected she knew why. "Your twentieth birthday's coming up." Hinata unconsciously fidgeted.

"I know," Sasuke said, with a faint smile. She stared until she remembered her point.

"You said you would – ano, will you take care of my g-genin while I'm pregnant?" He had agreed to it in the past, but she wondered if he had forgotten. She knew he would be unhappy about the additional responsibility. He had been bound to Konoha for so long, unable to do high-class missions because of Tsunade's seal.

"Of course," said Sasuke coolly.

"But you have to agree to give them back."

He gave her an odd look. "I don't think that will be a problem."

He didn't know it at that moment, but he most definitely wasn't going to give them back. There was a fallacy of adopting genin. They stuck to you like used chewing gum.

"I'll see you soon," he said.

Hinata nodded to herself, feeling momentarily reassured as he departed. But then he was gone, and she felt her anxieties build up again.

* * *

On the night of his twentieth birthday, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. He had been sent off on a solo mission a week before, and should have been back two days ago.

Hinata stared in the mirror at the dress she wore. It had a formfitting top with a V-neck and an asymmetrical hem. Her hair hung around her bare shoulders, trailing down her back, getting too long, but Sasuke seemed to like it that way. It would please him to see her in something other than her pullover or jounin vest.

That was assuming he arrived that evening. The mission must have turned out being more complicated than originally expected. In fact, she was sure he wasn't going to make it at all. Just before she could stalk off to her bathroom to change, she heard the window ledge creak, and turned to see Sasuke sitting on it, watching her.

Her eyes lit up. "You made it!"

"To have sex with my wife? Always."

She blushed and glared at him. "Happy birthday," she said grudgingly, as he approached her, kissing her. She freed herself of his lips long enough to say: "You almost missed the party."

Sasuke paused. "…What?"

"Dinner with our family!" Hinata said at a near-hysterical pitch.

Sasuke almost asked "what family?" but Hinata had suddenly grabbed his hand, and was pulling him along, to his immense displeasure.

She brought him downstairs to the dining room, where he was greeted with those Hinata qualified as "family." Naruto and Sakura, apparently, and Neji with Ino, Kiba and Shino, as well as Hanabi. Ino had, of course, invited Shikamaru and Chouji as her entourage. Shikamaru had brought Temari along, Neji had invited Lee and Tenten, and Hanabi had invited Udon, though she spent a lot of her time peering at their soon-to-be Hokage in a sort of morbid fascination.

"I made you a cake," said Hinata, gesturing towards a massive multi-layer dessert posed in the center of the table. She seemed quite proud of accomplishing her first ever wifely duty.

A twitch crossed Sasuke's cheek. "I don't eat sweets."

Hinata blinked in realization. That was right, he didn't! She began to fidget unhealthily. "R-right, I'll get rid of this."

Naruto seemed confused. "Wait, we can still-"

But Hinata was already towing the cake away. She dumped it in the nearest trash receptacle, failing to notice the alarmed looks her guests were throwing her way.

"Miso then." Hinata slapped her fist into her palm then marched to the kitchen. Sasuke trailed after her.

As Hinata began to stir a massive cauldron of soup that was bubbling on the stove, Sasuke wrapped his arms around her from behind. She deeply inhaled.

"You're all right?" he said.

"O-of course."

"It's getting late."

"But – your party–"

He was beginning to suspect it was just another diversion. "Let's go back upstairs."

"T-that would be rude."

"I _am_ rude."

She struggled against him, but Sasuke lifted her up with surprising ease. She buried her face in his shoulder and blushed as he carried her off. "What if they look for us?"

"They won't."

To her relief, they encountered no guests or elders on the way back to her room. There, he set her on the dresser, and began to unceremoniously undress, stripping his vest, his weapons, his shirt, then his pants, until he was down to his shorts. Hinata kept her gaze averted.

Sasuke was pulling off his armguards, when he glanced at her. "I like your dress."

It was black. Sasuke liked black.

"Take it off."

Following several moments of her deep breathing (Sasuke had gotten very patient with her over the years), Hinata hopped down from the bureau and turned away from him. With shaking fingers, she began to reach for her zipper, when she felt Sasuke's hands on her back. He slowly pulled it down, then slipped the dress off her shoulders, down her waist, then hips, where it piled at her feet. He began to unhook her bra in the same blasé manner.

"Are you hurt?" she mumbled, trying to think of things other than Sasuke undressing her.

"I'm fine." He began to slip down her panties. "You're still nervous."

"Un." She dizzily nodded.

He began to rub her arms and shoulders, her tense muscles yielding to his meticulous fingers. He pulled her hair to one side. "How can I make you comfortable?"

She tried to reassure him. "I – I am–"

"We don't have to..."

She turned around. "Yes we do. I want to!" she insisted, then had a relapse of nervousness. "D-don't you?"

When she noticed the way he was staring her, she realized what a stupid question that had been.

Sasuke rested his hands on her hips and leaned down her, when a tapping on the window gave him pause. Sasuke and Hinata turned towards it, to see a mission hawk on the outer ledge. As Hinata went to her closet and pulled on a robe, Sasuke opened the window, untying the note from the bird's leg. It flew off as he unraveled in.

"A mission," he said.

"For me?"

"For both of us. Kakashi says it's urgent."

The two looked at each other for a moment, then began to get dressed in their uniforms again.

* * *

They were hunting down a missing member of the Sarutobi clan, Hinata sent as the tracker of the group. She, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura had been searching all night, but with little result. She could tell that Sasuke was drained, his movements getting heavier as the night progressed. He had only been in Konoha for a few hours before being sent off again.

"Let's call it a night," said Naruto, after they found a suitable forest clearing to make camp in. "He could be anywhere by now. We'll start again at dawn."

Hinata helped Sasuke make his tent, despite his mechanical motions, that suggested he was a being that did not tire. She began to make her own tent, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her into his.

Wordlessly, they lay down on his mat, against each other. Hinata buried her face under his chin, and her husband remained stationary. Curiously, she poked his muscled arm. "Sasuke?"

She heard his quiet draws of breath – his polite way of snoring. In a mixture of relief and disappointment, she realized he had fallen asleep.

When Sasuke awoke some hours later, Hinata was curled on her side facing away from him, breathing in a way he was all too familiar with.

"We're too late," she mumbled.

Sasuke groggily rubbed his eye. "We're only a few hours off."

"We ruined everything," Hinata insisted. "What if we changed the future? What if-"

She was interrupted as Sasuke pulled her down and straddled her. "Sasu-!" she protested, as he began to pull off her clothes, jerking down her pants, and unzipping his. "Ready?"

"I-"

She grunted as he took the initiative.

He kissed her to smother the latter part of it, then broke it to let her breathe, their noses together, bodies warm.

"Let's get started," he said.

Hinata only managed a nod. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and they began.

* * *

By the time they found the runaway Sarutobi, he was covered in mud, dirt, and mucus. He cackled at the sight of them and deemed himself a missing nin. He even went as far as declaring war on Konoha.

Naruto unceremoniously grabbed the five-year-old and stuffed him under his arm. "Reminds me of you," he mentioned to Sasuke with a grin.

Sasuke was reminded of Kasai.

As the group made their way back to Konoha that afternoon, Hinata would meet none of their eyes. Naruto and Sakura were confused, while Sasuke simply watched her. Breaking off from Naruto, Sakura, and the crimson-eyed boy still writhing under Naruto's arm, the Uchiha couple walked to the Hyuuga house together without exchanging a word.

When they went inside, Hinata reddened whenever they encountered an elder in a corridor who was curious of where she and Sasuke had run off to the night before. The soup had burned, Udon had collapsed from hunger, Temari and Ino had gotten into a fight, and Kiba had demoted Neji to genin. Hastily citing the mission (even wagging a mission scroll as evidence), Hinata ducked into the kitchen, guilt written on every part of her, though it had little to do with abandoning her party.

Sasuke made some coffee. "How are you?" he asked her, as he tasted it, still scrutinizing her.

Hinata was across the room, tinkering with the toaster. She stiffened at being addressed, but then turned to face him. "Ano…I feel…" She scratched cheek. Her mouth twitched like she might cry. She quickly turned away from him, but not before Sasuke caught a glimpse of the smile that had spread across her face.

_Pervert._

"G-good," said Hinata.

"Good," Sasuke countered. He took another sip of his drink.

They spent the rest of the evening together, Sasuke mostly watching as she blushed, and rambled, and averted her gaze. He agreed to spend the night, and she enjoyed the luxury of watching him sleep beside her again...but _hated_ his lack of discretion. He bumped into some elders on his way to "take a piss." He drained the coffee pot the next morning while her sister twitched and stared. Even after he left, Hinata got sly looks about the house. She heard the whispers.

"Sasuke-kun was in her room _all night_."

"So they're _finally _being intimate."

Hinata tried to remind herself that Sasuke was her husband. No one cared if he spent the night – in fact, they would encourage it! This didn't help with her mortification. She heard the unending gossip about the sightings of the disheveled Uchiha, her legal husband.

Most of it was true.

By the end of the day, Hinata was a wreck. Grabbing some clothes and stuffing it into a shoulder bag, she did what she had been envious of seeing Sasuke do on hundreds of occasions before. She climbed upon her windowsill and disappeared into the night.

* * *

"Can I stay here tonight?"

Sasuke and Hinata stared at each other on either side of the entrance of his apartment. Sasuke was wearing a wifebeater and slacks, his feet and forehead bare. She wasn't accustomed to seeing him in civilian clothes, and couldn't help being fascinated by it.

"Aa," said Sasuke, with so much indifference, it was difficult to tell whether or not he favored her company. "This is your place too," he deadpanned, causing her to blush.

As he walked off to another room, Hinata frowned and stepped inside.

It wasn't Sasuke's studio apartment from his genin days, but it was just as plain. Now there were more rooms and more empty space to show off his lack of interests. But it would be unfair to judge him based on his living space. He held Naruto and Sakura so dearly, though there was little evidence of it to speak of.

Hinata wandered to his bedroom and lowered her shoulder bag onto his dresser. She dropped to Sasuke's bed and listened to the sound of him cleaning his sword, attending to it so scrupulously as he didn't anything else. She reflected on how much he had grown over the past few years. He wasn't as possessive anymore, seeming assured with her strength as he had not been at fifteen. He was subtly more affectionate towards her, and less reserved about their relationship around others. He didn't allow Naruto to bait him so much in recent years…of course, this corresponded with Naruto's own increase in maturity. In fact, all three members of team seven had grown substantially. Hinata stared at the ceiling, slowly realizing that they each were becoming their counterparts.

And she herself…she was lagging. Hinata knew the key differences between herself and her future self. Mirai Hinata had been more confident…socially…and sexually.

Hinata was distracted from her thoughts when she heard the door open, and saw Sasuke's form enter the room through the darkness. She sat up, intending to speak to him about her findings, "Sasu-"

He climbed onto the bed, upon her, not even bothering to negotiate anymore as he muffled her words with his lips, and she felt her body become hot in a mixture of panic and excitement.

Maybe now that he was twenty, he thought he had free reign over her body. Free sex. _Limitless_ sex. She reddened at the concept, and tried to inquire, "Sasu…do you…um…unnh…"

He kept her sufficiently distracted.

When it was over, they lay on their backs, both panting. She hesitated and crawled over to him, against his chest, where his arm curled around her waist. Sasuke observed that dreamy smile of hers again, and how much more comfortable she was without Naruto, Sakura, or her family within earshot. Deactivating the sharingan, he continued to catch his breath, and then everything faded into darkness.

Eventually it was morning time…or something. Sasuke drew away from the sunlight that hit the bed. Hinata must have opened the curtains. And she was talking about…something, with a giddiness in her voice he was unfamiliar with.

"-he'll be five years older than Kasai. I'm sure Kurenai-sensei would let us borrow him sometimes." Hinata's smile had turned into a grin as she reflected on their previous mission. Absently, she twisted a lock of hair about her finger. "I want him as a student someday. But I know I'll have to fight Ino for him, and…" she trailed off at realizing Sasuke's refusal to relinquish sleep. She began to get up. "I should go-"

Sasuke caught her hand. "Stay."

Hinata paused, and sat back down on the bed.

Sasuke reluctantly opened his eyes. "Will you move in with me?"

She smiled and opened her mouth, but then hesitated. "Hanabi-"

"You don't like her," said Sasuke. Hinata was stoical towards her sister in a strange, unnatural way. They had been very close at a time in the past. Sometimes Sasuke contemplated on Hinata's phantom resentment; wondered if it would ever spread to him.

"I don't dislike her." In truth, Hinata felt nothing towards her sister. Hanabi's presence evoked no feelings within her. It was like a switch had been flicked down in her mind one day. She couldn't sum up the energy to force herself to pretend to _feel_, and she didn't know why. "But I still have obligations to my clan."

"You have obligations to _me_."

"I – ano –" She searched for a response to that. In the meantime, Sasuke closed his eyes.

"I love you," he muttered.

She felt an overwhelming warmth wash over her. She would never know the weight of his love, how it would reverberate along the years, phenomenal and disastrous.

"I love you," Hinata countered, shyly glancing down. She remembered when Sasuke had said it before, in a similarly sleepy state. She wondered if he was cheating at it.

"Good," he said softly, like he was closing a deal.

"Wait, I didn't-" Hinata reddened. "Sasuke?"

There was no answer, and no evidence that he was conscious anymore. She leaned down to his ear and whispered, "I want to stay with you. That's all I want to do," but Sasuke was back to his breaths of sleep. Frowning slightly, she pulled away, slipping her hand out of his, and climbing out of his bed. She found a spare shirt of his and pulled it over her head, watching as it fell down to her thighs.

Throwing Sasuke one more glance, Hinata left the room and trailed to the kitchen, her feet padding against the cold tiled floor. She opened the fridge to find something for breakfast, but was met with a weird assortment of sushi and tomatoes. Wrinkling her nose, she poked around, and eventually found an apple buried in the deepest corner of the fridge.

Maybe moving in with Sasuke would be for the best. He clearly needed someone to take care of him, Hinata reasoned. She smiled to herself as the concept grew more and more plausible. Just as she bit the apple, she heard a knock on the front door, and she unthinkingly went to answer it.

"Sasuke, I wanted to know if-" Haruno Sakura halted to stare at Hinata in her borrowed shirt and tousled hair. "Oh – sorry – am I interrupting?"

Hinata gasped at remembering her appearance. She quickly closed the door all but a few inches. "No, Sasuke's – ano – he resting." She blushed, trying to neaten her hair. "Can I take a message?"

Sakura stared at her for a moment longer, then launched into explanation.

She wanted to see if Hinata and Sasuke would join her and Naruto for a mission in Suna. Apparently the Kazekage tower had an awesome jacuzzi, and she preferred Hinata and Sasuke's company over Gai and Chouji, who were the only other jounin available.

Agreeing to speak to Sasuke about it, Hinata closed the door, though Sakura-san was still talking. Afterwards, she leaned against it, breathing heavily while trying to gather her composure.

Pushing herself off the door, Hinata dumped her apple in Sasuke's lone (dying) potted plant before heading back to the bedroom to find he had not moved an inch.

That was right, he wasn't a morning person, was he? Hinata carefully climbed back into the bed beside him. She closed her eyes, welcome to the concept of a few more hours of sleep.

"No more missions for now," muttered Sasuke, revealing he wasn't as comatose as his behavior might suggest. He must have heard her and Sakura speaking in the next room. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him so her back was to his chest.

"Why?" she said.

"Hinata…"

For a moment, she blankly stared at the wall, and then she inhaled. "I wanted to find out – the normal way. By medics."

"It was an accident," Sasuke assured her, his lips against her hair. "Sometimes during sex, the sharingan…"

"I know."

Sasuke reflected on the new chakra he had seen in Hinata the night before. It wasn't white like hers, but blue like his. His hand slid down to touch a spot on her stomach. "There."

Kasai.

* * *

A few weeks later, it was Kakashi's birthday, but he spent most of his time in the hallway outside his office talking up that horrible snake woman he was seeing.

In his absence, Naruto rummaged through his drawers, eventually extracting two sake bottles from the desk. "Yes!" he hissed, as he gnawed on the cork of the first bottle. He passed the other to Sakura.

"I'm not drinking," said Sasuke.

"A lightweight, eh?" grinned Naruto, taking a swig.

"Neither am I," said Hinata, appreciating Sasuke's strategic maneuver.

"Suit yourself," said Naruto, as he and Sakura clinked bottles.

"Cheers."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

The final scene is a parallel to the scene when Mirai Naruto said Mirai Sasuke was "still a lightweight" in interlude 9. To catch all the parallels throughout the story, you would probably have to re-read it a few times, which doesn't sound fun at all. So I hope you enjoyed the story despite its complexity. There will be one more epilogue, which will take place a few years after the time travelers returned to the future. Hope you enjoy it. (And thank you for all the INCREDIBLE reviews!)

Bullwinkle's Lady


	46. Epilogue 2

**Listening To: **Supreme Lifestyle by Alien Ant Farm.

**Author's Note:** The value for someone's life is usually a soul. Hanabi sacrificed her soul to save her life. Jiraiya requested Mirai Naruto's soul to bring back Sakura. So I think it's safe to say these two things are the most valuable of the offerings. Then again, it may vary from spirit to spirit.

Anyway, thank you so much for reading this story. It has been my biggest project to date. Love you all!

**The Chaos Theory  
**  
by Bullwinkle's Lady

_"...the dead can be bitter, greedy creatures. The living are not meant to communicate with them."_

**Epilogue 2  
**

The twittering of birds filled the air, gently rousing the time travelers from unconsciousness. The sun rose upon five unmoving figures. Four of their chakras were strong; constant.

Hinata stirred as the clouds shifted, causing the sunlight to hit her face. Curled against the grass, she wearily opened her eyes, then smiled at realizing they had successfully returned to the future. Hinata passed her gaze over her friends, from Naruto, to Sakura, then Kasai, but Sasuke's pallor caught her attention. She forced herself up to climb up to her knees, then crawled over to him. "Sasuke," she whispered, as she noticed he wasn't breathing. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his, breathing air into his lungs, but he would not accept it.

As she pulled back, she activated her byakugan, to realize her husband's heart was not beating. She laid her hands on his chest and sent a surge of chakra through it, tempting his heart to awake. She'd done it before. "Sasuke!"

Naruto and Sakura stirred at her exclamation, but Kasai awoke completely. She sleepily glanced at her parents and activated her sharingan, noticing her father's absence of chakra. "Tousan…" she mused.

Her mother was shaking now. She tore her father's shirt, revealing the seal missing from the back of his neck. She turned to his wrist, to find his seal there was gone as well. She withdrew her hands and trembled worse, and at that moment Kasai realized–

_Tousan's dead.  
_  
Her earliest childhood memories would be the things that followed – jiisan suddenly scooping her up and carting her away. Obasan kneeling down beside her mother, embracing her.

She would stay with her aunt and uncle for a few of the following weeks, but neither could seem to summon the enthusiasm to play _sannin_ or any of their other games. They left her alone a lot, and she kept to her own devices.

At present, Kasai was nine, and stalking Sarutobi Asuma in her gray jumper dress and black leggings. She clutched her sword in the hand that wasn't clutching the stupid stuffed hawk – the chokuto was too big for her, and dragged along the grass behind her.

The sword was supposed to have been buried with her father four years ago, but she had cried so much, they decided to keep it, apparently. Kasai couldn't remember doing that. She couldn't really remember…him, but assumed the sword was important. She assumed _he_ had been important. He had been a sharingan-holder, like her – _like no one else._

Asuma's father was dead too. Kasai darted behind a tree as he glanced back at her. He was on the way to the training grounds to meet his genin team, and she couldn't have been more jealous. She didn't know why she couldn't qualify as genin, she was just as good as he was – she was sure of it! As he raised his eyes and spotted her, Kasai quickly activated the sharingan, just before being captured in his technique.

She was suddenly surrounded by a vortex of colors and shapes, but she spread her arms, and burned them down with her own genjutsu. The colors peeled around her like burning wallpaper, the real world progressively appearing in its place, and the fogginess subsiding just in time for Kasai to spin and block a cuff aimed for her neck. "Katon-!"

Asuma dodged her fireball with a side step and kicked her in the back, causing her to stumble forward. She knew she shouldn't have had the sharingan activated for longer than a minute or two, but she was so close to gaining her edge!

Collecting her sword from the ground, she arduously lifted it up over her head, a maniacal grin crossing her face. She barely even noticed that her stuffed toy had disappeared, but Asuma did.

"Kasai?"

Her eyes rolled upwards, and she dropped to the grass.

She didn't know how much time had passed before she came to, but there was someone crouched beside her, watching her with a look of indifference. He was dressed in ANBU armor, which puzzled her, because he had never been in the ANBU as far as she knew. She blinked at him a few times. "O-otousan?"

"Kasai," he stated flatly. Her father seemed unimpressed.

She abruptly sat up. "Am I dead?"

"No."

"Am I dreaming?"

He inclined his head just slightly enough that it didn't help with her nerves.

Kasai pressed her lips. "B-but that doesn't make sense. I don't remember you."

"It seems you remember more than you think."

A silence fell upon the two of them, hers uncomfortable, and his…natural. Her father didn't seem very talkative at all. He mirrored the few pictures she had seen of him, with the dark hair that hung in his face, and the weary shadows beneath his eyes. She stared into those similar eyes…then her gaze shifted to the sword on his belt – _her _sword – and she frowned, subtly shifting her feet beneath her. She charged at him with all intent to take it back–

And then she gasped awake, and found herself sprawled on the grass, with Asuma knelt beside her, peering at her with his crimson eyes.

"What did you do?" Kasai demanded.

"What–?" Asuma seemed confused.

"You were using your genjutsu on me!" she accused

"No – I wasn't…"

Kasai got up and ran off, her sword and hawk left forgotten.

* * *

The blonde-haired little girl offered Ryou a flower. Ryou didn't respond, he just stared blankly at her until her bottom lip quivered.

Hinata frowned. "Ryou, you have to be nicer to-"

"Tousan!" The girl was distracted when she spotted Ino and Neji walk into the courtyard, both dressed in their ANBU armor. She ran to her father who scooped her up, where she smiled contently and sat on his shoulder.

Ino scowled. "I'm back too, you know."

Hinata smiled as she approached, Ryou trailing behind her. "She reminds me of how Kasai was at her age. She used to favor Sasuke, and now..." Hinata trailed off, but made sure her smile didn't waver. "Now she's a little more balanced." Hinata wondered if she wasn't making an inaccurate statement. Kasai seemed to get along with only one person.

Sarutobi Asuma was friendly, but in the way that Kurenai-san was. He held his friends dearly, but liked to keep to himself a lot of the time. He reminded Hinata of Sasuke – not how he had been when he was Asuma's age. Maybe when Sasuke was in his later teens, more mature, and less conflicted. Maybe that was why Kasai seemed drawn to him.

"Oh?" said Ino, who still looked concerned as she eyed her four-year-old, who had yet to take notice of her. Her gaze shifted to Ryou. "Have you two been getting along?"

Ryou shifted behind Hinata's leg, giving Ino a wary look. Hinata rubbed his temple. He was so serious for a four-year-old. "They got along fine," she lied. "You're watching them next week, ne? I have a mission in Suna."

"Of course. I need you to bring something for Shikamaru-"

Hinata stiffened at this. If she wanted to find Shikamaru, she would have to go to the Kazekage tower, where she would be obligated to greet Gaara, who wasn't known for his small talk.

"Hey everyone," said someone new, entering the gates.

As Neji responded with "Hokage-sama," Hinata said "Kiba-kun!" and Ino muttered, "Melon-fucker." Walking passed the rest, Kiba embraced Hinata in a bear-hug, ignoring Ryou as he tried to place himself between them. "Is Hanabi around?"

When Kiba pulled back, Hinata forced a smile, and nodded. "She should be inside."

"Thanks," said Kiba, ruffling Ryou's hair in a way he didn't like, before walking off toward the Hyuuga house.

Hinata absently stared after him. The Hokage was dating the head of the Hyuuga clan. At a time she would have imagined it to be her and Naruto playing those roles.

She reflected on her sister's new part in this world. Hinata knew the sacrifices she and the others had made were permanent, if just by the indifference she continued to feel towards Hanabi. And what did it matter? She could live without the things she had given up.

Regardless, Hinata remained cautious towards her sister, even more so than the others, as she watched and waited for signs of cruelty blossoming. Maybe she was being paranoid.

It was like they had never gone to the past – no one but they knew how they had saved Konoha. No one knew what Sasuke had died for. As far as anyone understood, he had simply collapsed from an unknown medical condition.

When Hinata had returned to the future, her life was very different from the way she had left it. Friends who were supposed to be dead were alive again. In her first few weeks back, her mind was assaulted with new memories of her past, new experiences that overwhelmed her, new events between her and her family, some endearing, others frustrating, some that made her smile, and some that just made her cry harder.

Upon returning to her time, she had been welcomed with a new life, a new ranking, and new people and things in her environment. There was even a trio of teenagers who called her _sensei_, and had inquired about her husband, who owed them a new technique.

Soon enough, the new memories began to mix with the old ones, and she had difficulty deciding which were real and which were not. She had _experienced _every one of them, and somehow none of them felt authentic.

Sometimes it was hard to remember her own physical changes – which techniques she could still execute, and which ones she couldn't. There was an uncomfortable vacancy in her sensory skills, in its place, an abundance of Hyuuga tact and technique. Sometimes she fell into her old abilities, ones her body did not know how to perform. Her mind had difficulty sorting new from old and real from fake.

Someone poked her waist. "Okaasan?"

"Kasai." Hinata looked down at her nine-year-old, who winced as she rubbed some dirt off her cheek. Kasai had long dark hair, messy bangs, and onyx eyes Hinata oftentimes reflected upon. "What's wrong?" said Hinata. She could tell Kasai was upset about something by the way she pouted, her arms linked behind her back.

"What? N-nothing!" Kasai was instantly defensive.

Hinata watched her for a moment, then dismissed it. "Let's go."

"Where?"

"Naruto and Sakura's."

"Hn…"

"Don't forget your toy."

Kasai paused, and looked up to see her stuffed hawk perched on the wall, gawking at her in that foul way it did. Sighing, she grabbed it then trailed after Ryou and her mother.

* * *

Naruto was getting a little tipsy.

"When he died, I just started...kind of cataloging everything I could remember about him." He forced a grin. "Stupid, ne? He was my brother."

Hinata observed him. It had been four years, but he was still hurting so much.

"What if it should have been me?" Naruto continued. "How do I live the rest of my life knowing I'll never see him again!"

Hinata didn't understand it. Naruto had lost so many people throughout his life. Sasuke was just another.

"Don't," whispered Sakura, placing a hand on his. "Those kinds of thoughts are what started it all. Don't speak like that."

Hinata glanced at the door, hoping the children couldn't hear them. They didn't know the occasion – that it was the anniversary of their father's death. Hinata didn't want it to be an occasion, she just wanted to forget it had ever happened.

Tomorrow would be another day. Naruto and Sakura would be back to their happy, playful selves. And she would stop having to think about it.

For a moment, Hinata wondered if she was she becoming numb, like she had a lifetime ago, when she had not been rescued from being attacked and raped. She didn't think she was…she hoped she wasn't. She liked to think her children kept her grounded; she didn't want the anesthesia to spread to them.

_How do I live the rest of my life knowing I'll never see him again?_

For some reason, Naruto's words echoed in her mind.

"Are you okay, Hinata?" said Sakura.

She smiled. "Of course."

Sasuke was in the past. He was someone who no longer existed. He was like a childhood friend who moved away, only, he was dead, and it had been four years ago, but it felt like centuries, so Hinata smiled to herself, because she didn't know what else to do. She heard Naruto get up and sit beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her against his. "It's okay," he told her, and she remained there, against him.

Naruto had promised Sasuke to keep an eye on her. He had kept his promise.

* * *

Kasai sliced open the creature's skull, white stuffing bursting out from its temple.

"It's your turn Ryou," she told her brother, who stood behind her shoulder, blankly watching. "Cut me off a wing, okay. Then we'll cook the _meat._" She smiled and showed him the first hand seal of her fire technique.

But Ryou was pointing at one of the shelves in jiisan's living room. Kasai followed his gaze to see the hawk perfectly intact, perched there in all of its plump glory. Her cheek twitched.

She had tried to get rid of the thing on countless occasions, from hiding it, to burning it, mutilating it, and drowning it, but the stuffed toy always seemed to come back to her like a hideous, extraneous limb. In fact, it was _sealed _to her.

Kaasan called it her _chakra allowance._

The stuffed bird was the reason she tired so quickly during battle. It was the reason she couldn't use the sharingan to its full potential. Most importantly, it was the reason she couldn't keep up with Asuma.

Asuma was the one boy she got along with, even if he was five years older than her. He wasn't stupid like other teenagers. Once they had even played a trick on one of her father's students – the cocky one. They had made him think he was trapped in a box, and he couldn't figure his way out of it for a whole hour.

Kasai figured she and Asuma got along because of their taste for genjutsu.

She was unaware of the irony of this inheritance; that she was adept at illusions her father couldn't have fathomed when he was her age; that she might not have gotten it from his side of the family at all.

She roughly grabbed the bird off the shelf, then wrenched open the window and sat on the sill. Facing the room, she closed her eyes. "Three…"

Ryou watched her with his big white eyes, his face pinched in curiosity.

"Two…"

Ryou slowly realized what Kasai was planning to do. He also remembered that jiisan's apartment was five stories high.

"One." Kasai flashed him a grin.

"Sai-chan!"

She dropped backwards from the window, her hair flying into her face as the air pressed her back. She squeezed the hawk against her chest, but it suddenly disappeared, leaving her arms empty. She reached out for something else to grab–

When she hit the ground, her back should have broken, and her neck should have snapped.

Groaning in pain, Kasai opened one of her eyes. She looked around for any more apparitions, then lifted hand to her face and stared at it.

Her reckless nature was exactly what Sasuke had been trying to suppress in creating the seal. It was designed to exist even in his death, and to only break to save her life. He had known some day she would figure it out, he just hadn't known it would be so soon.

And as Kasai stared at her hand, she felt raw power coursing through it. She turned it to look at the back of her arm, reveling in the absence of ink on her flesh. She forced herself to sit up, and looked behind her shoulder, where she saw that the entirety of the seal had disappeared with the hawk. A weary grin spread across her face. Maybe it was time for that rematch with Sarutobi.

But then Kasai dropped back down, concussed and unconscious, Ryou's blank eyes staring at her from the bottom of the window.

* * *

As Naruto and Sakura got up to do the dishes, Hinata stared into her drink.

Sometimes she marveled at the way their roles had shifted. In Sakura's death, Tsunade had lived, and vice versa. Naruto had lost the Hokage title, and Kiba had taken it in his place. Sometimes she wondered whether Hanabi's role as their ender would be shifted to another. Would someone else play with fate and make the biggest mistake?

Neji had taught her the technique some months ago, when he had been assured she was too well-adjusted to do anything stupid with it. She was a Hyuuga, and had every right to their kinjutsu. Pushing her drink aside, Hinata pressed her pointer fingers together lengthwise. She closed her eyes, and focused her chakra, then activated the byakugan as she opened them again. As a Hyuuga, she didn't have to take Naruto's manual approach. It was her birthright, her trump card, _her_ mistake. "Sasuke."

Suddenly the world was white, and there was nothing, except for him.

"What are you doing here?" he muttered, staring at her in a way that reminded her so much of their son.

She had not expected the abruptness of the environment or her company. On some levels, she had not expected the technique to work at all. For a moment she couldn't breathe; didn't know if she even _had_ to. "I wanted to see you!" she cried, as though he had made the stupidest inquiry. Tears ran down her cheeks for the first time in such a long time, and there was so much she wanted to say, but didn't think she could get any of it out. Was this him, or just a piece of him? Did it make any difference? "I w-want you back," Hinata admitted, as she fell into a fit of sobs.

"Aa." With indifference that could have been authentic or unnatural, he reached up to trace her throat with a cool hand, but it was _his_ hand. The sensation of his calloused skin flooded her with memories, and for once, they all felt real. She almost drifted into the captivation of the technique, but wearily, she mumbled, "You want something from me." Her eyes lifted up to meet his.

A flicker of emotion crossed his face, but it was indecipherable, and disappeared just as quickly as it had shown. Maybe this was _her_ Sasuke, or a version of him, if hollow. He had taken the place of the man dressed in white, her guardian; her demon. She closed their distance and rested her face against his shoulder, his body cool, and his breath icy on her temple. And then in a harsh whisper, he told her what he wanted–

"Everything."

**The End**


End file.
